At what age can he stay alone at home? In Singapore, the law does not specify age in this case. It all depends on the context and the maturity of the child.
A parent is responsible for the physical and psychological safety of his or her minor child. He must exercise judgment. However, it is not always easy to determine if a child is ready to be alone and if the time is right. Here are the recommendations of specialists to help you make the right decision.
Is he ready to stay home alone?
The real question to ask is: “Is my child ready to be alone, unattended? “. Before 7-8 years, the answer is no, because he does not have the notion of danger. Then everything depends on its degree of autonomy and its character and yours!
If you are a parent-hen, there is a good chance it will be harder for you to let go, even for twenty minutes. If you are worried about leaving him unattended, you may be giving him your worries.
What most important is their ability to take care of themselves, their sense of organization and their assessment of the risks involved. In short, to find out if this is the right time, ask him the question. Make sure he does not answer yes to please you and that he is relaxed about being alone with himself. Some children are used to play alone. Those will be able to do without your presence more easily. Others, with imagination overflowing, imagine the worst scenario at the least noise. You will need to be careful so that this experience is not traumatic for him.
Prepare him
Finally, like all learning, do things gradually. Start by leaving it alone for a few minutes, then a few hours, first during the day. Always explain where you are going and how he can reach you in case of trouble. On your return, congratulate him but not excessively, that he does not imagine that being alone in your absence is a feat, therefore synonymous with great potential dangers.
If he is in tears when you find him, ask him to tell you what has frightened him and reassure him about the source of his fears. Finally, to assess his sense of security, ask him about the reaction he would have to such and such a situation (what would you do if …?). Therefore, he is not disarmed in the face of an event that would be out of the ordinary.
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