Summer Childcare/home Alone

My kids are 11, almost 12 & 10 this year & they will be staying home this summer. They started last summer in a daycare center for older kids, but it was expensive, and after a few weeks I really didn't believe they were being watched or cared for really at all so I decided I would save my money & let them stay home. There were no issues at all. We do have an elderly couple who lives across the street and keeps an eye out for them, and I only work 17 minutes away.

I can only anwer the initial question. I strongly feel teh 12 year old is too young. If it is even legal, I guess I could see it for 30 minutes while you run to the grocery store. But beyond that, no. I think some states have laws about stay alone ages and gaps in age for a caregiver, like a 9 year old can be left home but only in the care of someone 16 and above.

My reasoning is twofold. First, it is unfair to ask that much of a 12 year old. What will happen to her summer? Second, whiile odds are they will be fine in most activities, the reason for an adult is really about if there is an emergency - fire, slipping in the tub, burgler, choking, etc. Even a responsible 12 year old with CPR training, etc. - that's a lot of pressure and a lot to expect.

My boys are 6 years apart. when the oldest was 12 and the youngest 6 they stayed home by themselves in the summer. Only for a few hours a day I would be home by lunch time usually. they know the rules- no answering the door or phone, lock all doors no friends over until I get home. I cant say I would have let them stay home all day ( I dont think my house would survive) but for a few hours a day they were fine.

My kids are 12, 10, and almost 8. I will leave the 12 year old in charge for a few hours at a time. But I won't for the whole day ... we just had this issue a few weeks ago, at spring break (my hubby & I didn't get break at the same time). I just felt like it was too long a time for them to be alone, without a parent or adult around. The 12 year old is quite mature, they usually get along well, I just didn't feel comfortable with it, especially all week long.
Just my personal experience

Different states have different laws. You will difinitely want to know what the laws says about how old and how long you can leave your kids without adult supervision. In my state the age is 12 but you can only leave them for 3-4 hours.

Better safe than sorry. Keep letting family and friends know to spread the word and then thoroughly check the caretaker out. I'm certain you haven't exhausted all of the options afforded to you but keep brain storming and talking and you will come up with some combination that works for your entire family.

I'm a country bumpkin too ;)
I was babysitting when I was 12. Some of the kids were older, some were younger and a few were babies. I was responsible for breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. I think it will be fine. Just make sure that your 12 year old knows where all the emergency information is. Post all numbers, including poison control, on the fridge where they're easily accessible. You could even prepare lunches ahead of time so he wouldn't have any reason to use the stove.
As far as the unpredictable...well...it's unpredictable :) You can't do anything to stop it, that's what makes it unpredictable, if that makes sense. Crazy things can happen whether you're there, the friend is there, they're home alone or whatever. I honestly think the best thing you can do is give them all the rules and instructions. Lay out the consequences for breaking the rules and go to work and hope for the best!

Maybe you could do a trial run? Leave them at home on a weekend day and see what happens?

My kids are little so I'm not there yet but it gives me anxiety just thinking about it. My parents left me and my brothers home when I was 12 (I was the most responsible of me and my siblings). My brothers were 14 and 2 when we first stayed home alone.

Depending on the child I think... if your son is truly responsible enough and he knows he can call you when he needs you, I don't see a problem with it.

Good luck on your new job!

I started my own summer day care when I was 12. It was for my sister and 2 boy cousins.

We had a daily and weekly schedule, we made up a menu for the next week so there was no fighting about what the snacks and lunch would be.

We had a blast. I also made good money, which helped since I was going to be a cheerleader and needed to help pay for the uniform and all of the accessories.

This is also the summer I got a checking account and a State ID so I could write checks.

I would do it. It sounds like they would be home about twice a week, with the older girl there occasionally. Truth is, something random, crazy, unpredictable, and totally unlikely could happen while you were home, too. It sounds like you have your plans in place and that your kids are quite mature. I lived on a farm with three siblings and at those ages, my brothers were working in the fields, driving tractors and trucks, and I was feeding and caring for animals. I think responsibility can make kids even more responsible, with the right support and encouragement.

Here are my thoughts on this subject. This was 23 years ago. Holy cow I feel old doing the math on this one. I was 12 going on 13.

Anyway, when my niece was born I went to California to visit her and baby sit her during the summer while my sister went back to work. I thought it was the coolest thing at the time. Here I am flighing for the first time and getting to spending the summer in CA. I watched my niece from like 7-4 Monday thur Friday. The weekends we would do lots of fun things. So then the next summer I went an lived on a farm for about 2 months taking care of a friend of the families baby. Again thought it was prety cool because I made lots of money. So now I have spent 2 summers babysitting and being away from my friends. Now I feel like a grew up to fast in someways and never got to be a kid during that time. I have always been very responsible but looking back I wish at I could have had fun with my friends.

So my point is if you have your daughter watch the kids those 3 days. Make sure that she herself gets to still get out of the house and enjoy her summer too. You are only 12 once so make her summer fun.

I think that most states say that a 12 year old can be the babysitter since the Red Cross offers babysitting course's to 12 year olds. However. You mentioned a pool. that would be a deal breaker for me. I would not leave any of the kids home alone with that temptation outside. They are just kids and they will swim and hid it from you. Then one day you'll get a call that someone is hurt or worse.

I would say find a child care setting that offers teen aid positions for older siblings. In Oklahoma kids that are older can be there as teachers helpers and they get to earn money or get their child care fee paid.

Page 2 describes the teen aid position in Oklahoma:
http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/C###-###-####-C005-45D1...

I know the kids would be bored silly at a regular child care facility and even more in a home child care setting. But just leaving them alone for hours and hours doesn't seem safe to me in this situation.

When I was a kid we were left home with my brother 4.5 years older than I am. He paid me no mind what-so-ever. I cringe now at the things we did and especially me. I never even realizes how dangerous these things were. I wouldn't do it. But I wouldn't want them alone even in a few years, maybe ESPECIALLY in a few years. There are so many things kids can do to ruin their lives, sex at too young of an age, inviting friends over etc.