Another issue is how long the child will be on his own. Some children are quite content to be alone for a couple of hours, but become lonely during longer stretches. Will it be dark when you arrive home during the winter, and will that make him—or you—nervous?
If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, that’s a good indication your child would be responsible and mature enough to stay home alone. But, your child’s maturity isn’t the only consideration. You also have to decide whether your neighborhood is safe. It’s not just a question of crime statistics, but whether there are any close neighbors at home during the day that your child could turn to if he needed help. Finally, how do you feel about it? If you’re going to worry so much or feel so guilty that you have trouble remaining productive at work, it’s probably better to postpone self-care for a while.
