At what age is it OK to leave a child home alone in MS? Here’s what state law says
With school out for the summer and expensive child care costs, some Mississippi parents may be considering leaving their children home alone.
Some states have laws prohibiting parents from leaving their children alone until they reach a certain age, but Mississippi is not one of those states.
The age parents in Mississippi can leave their children at home alone is up to their own discretion and should be based on the child’s maturity and safety, according to the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services.
Here’s what to know about leaving your child home alone in Mississippi.
Age recommendations by physicians
The age for leaving a child at home depends on the individual child’s maturity, but Deborah Greenhouse, a pediatrician with Palmetto Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic in Columbia, South Carolina, told Prisma Health that a child younger than nine years old shouldn’t be left home alone.
“The decision to leave your child at home alone, even for a brief period, should be based on common sense. You need to establish a very well-defined set of ground rules,” Greenhouse said.
How to know if your child is ready to stay home alone
You’ll know if your child is ready to stay home alone if they are able to handle responsibility, especially in case of emergency. Some situations to consider are the following, according to Prisma Health:
- Is your child comfortable being left home alone?
- Does your child understand basic safety issues?
- Does your child know what to do in an emergency?
- Does your child know where the first aid kit is?
- Does your child know what to do if a stranger is at the door?
- Does your child know what to do in case of a fire, power outage or serious weather conditions?
- Can your child make themselves food?
- Can your child contact you while away?
- Do you have a trusted neighbor nearby?
How to prepare your child to stay home alone
If you’re leaving your child home alone for the first time, here are some things to be sure of, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health:
- Post emergency phone numbers by every phone in your home: 911, pediatrician, poison control center, nearest health clinic or hospital, number of a close neighbor
- Put smoke detectors on each floor of your home and a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Have a plan for leaving your home in a fire
- Have a first aid kit readily available for your child
Talk with your kids and establish some ground rules. Prisma Health recommends the following:
- Never let anyone in the house when a parent isn’t home
- Keep the doors locked and do not leave the house
- Never tell a caller that no one else is home
- Don’t go near the pool unless an adult is present
- Set some guidelines for computer, television and video game use
Neglect in MS
It’s important to be sure your child is safe and taken care of if you’re leaving them at home alone.
Neglect, or not meeting the basic needs of your child, is the most common form of child maltreatment and is punishable by law, according to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services.
This includes leaving a child unattended or in the care of other children who are too young to protect themselves, according to the MDCPS.
