At What Age is a Child Legally Old Enough to Be Home Alone in North Dakota?

As I always start these posts about children out, I do not have kids and I have no expertise on this subject. But I still have concerns, so I will talk about it. Did you know that there is no law that states an appropriate age for when kids can be left alone at home?

There is no law that determines how old a child should be before staying home alone in North Dakota.

KX News reports, "that there are no state laws on how long a child can be left alone, or at what age." The recommendation, according to Marlys Baker of Child Protection Services is:

1. Kids younger than four should have a caregiver present at all times.
2. Kids younger than eight should have a caregiver nearby.
3. Kids nine years old and up can be left alone for an extended period of time.

I do not remember my age, but I was pretty young when I started staying home alone.

I can't remember how old I was the first time I stayed home alone. I may have been between 10 and 12. I lived in a tiny town where you literally knew every person on every street, and my parents worked 30 miles away. My brother and I did spend a lot of time alone in our safe little town. And we were fine. But, as an adult, I feel like I would be so uncomfortable even leaving a 10-year-old alone.

Is it possible that very young children are being left alone all too often in North Dakota?

I know that maturity differs from kid to kid, and I am sure that most parents are good judges about if they can leave their children alone or not. But what about parents who take advantage of the fact that there is no law? Is it possible that very young children are being left alone all too often in North Dakota?