Opinions wanted

[catherine]

How old do you think kids can be in order to be left alone for several hours (yes, I know maturity matters - but pretend you are CPS).  

The children are 11 yrs old and 6 yrs old.

[kiddosmom]

I do not think there is a law that adresses this.

In my OPINION (depending on maturity) I would say I will not leave my child alone until they are 14-15.

[joni]

I would never leave a 6 y.o. alone.  An 11 y.o. may be OK for a short time BUT an 11 y.o. is NOT old enough to be responsible for a 6 y.o.  

JMO

[skye]

in VA its 13 with red cross class 15 without

[Lunarbunny]

This is such a coincidence!

My sister's children are 11 years old and 6 years old.  She thinks that it is ok to leave her children unattended and we live in a rural area.  I personally do not believe that it is a safe situation.  Ofcourse my son is now 7 years old and I still would not allow a teenager to watch him and he has never been in daycare.

As for cps...I don't think they would do anything about it unless it was late at night and the children were left repeatedly for extended periods of time.  BTW we're in CA.

I'm just curious...are they your children?

[catherine]

My DH's ex.  Leaving them first with a man we know nothing about and secondly leaving them unattended for hours.  We are CP and this is during her EOW.

[Lunarbunny]

I don't think that you can do anything about her leaving the kids with someone that you don't know unless you can prove that he is a danger to the children.  As for leaving them unattended for hours...try calling CPS and asking them if it is endagerment.  If they say yes then report it.

[Kitty C.]

What I would recommend is to let the kids know that if it happens, EVERY time it happens, they need to call you and let you know.  Then you call the cops and tell them you want a 'welfare check' done on them, as they have called you and told you they are alone.  The cops will go and check on them.  IF  the cops think that the children are in imminent danger, they will remove the children and contact both you and CPS.  But if not, they will try to contact the NCP and get them to come home and explain themselves.

Get enough of these reports and you establish a pattern of neglect.  And pray that nothing 'bad' happens while all this is going on...........

[Lunarbunny]

I agree.  That sounds like a great idea.

[catherine]

this man is going to be her new husband, and the kids don't even know him.  And he is an immigrant.  When you tell your kids you are getting married, they shouldn't have to ask you to whom, should they?  At this point, we don't even have the man's name.