Am I really that out of touch?

[siercia]

Last night, I was watching er, and there was a woman who worked as a hooker, who left her 12 year old daughter and 7 year old son at home at night when she went out to work. One of the doctors called CPS on the mother, arguing that leaving the kids alone at night amounted to neglect.

I was dumbfounded - when I was twelve, I was babysitting for other people's kids, including babies. I was more than capable of taking care of myself, and other children. My mom left me alone in the house, or watching my little brothers when I was as young as nine or ten (usually only while she ran out for quick errands).

Now, aside from whether you think a woman working as a prostitute is inherently fit as a mother (which is an entirely different issue), am I really out of line for thinking that the average 12 year old can be responsible for watching a sibling, particularly one who's 7 years old himself? Or for thinking that I'd expect Widget to be safe alone at home once she was about 10 or so?

Miss Jude, would you happen to know if there are actual laws in any states that explicitly define how old a child has to be before you can leave them alone without being accused of neglect?

Comments

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

It really chafed against my mind as well. I wondered if the issue was that the 12 year old didn't know she was 'in charge' because her mom never mentioned that she was going back out, regularly.

[asmodel.livejournal.com]

TV can be stupid. They always come up with random ages for kids without actually thinking of how developed a kid would actually be. Ditto for instances of the law.

[rawrin.livejournal.com]

I'm puzzled by things like that as well. I was 'in charge' of myself and my sister from the time we got home from school until the time our parents got home (not a long time, but still) when I was seven years old. I started cooking simple meals when I was 8. So I don't really get it. Maybe it's just a rougher world out there now. Or maybe the people who write TV shows don't have mature children.

[sarahparah.livejournal.com]

I was babysitting at that age too... somehow I think things may have changed since we were kids with that respect. I don't know why or how it happened.

I would have only mild misgivings about leaving my three year old with her 13 year old half sister... although I know she'd take good care of her I'd have vague worries about how responsible she was - she (and most other kids of about her age that I know) seem somehow more unaware of a sense of responsiblity than I was at their age. In other words, I'd *do* it, but I'd be more distracted on an evening out that I am when there is a responsible adult looking after Poopsie.

I guess it depends on the 12 year old.

[rachelmichellek.livejournal.com]

well for normal babysitting stuff by the 12 year old sibling,t aht's one thing, but at night, all night, that's another. or at least it starts to get to be a borderline thing.

[smurfbrother.livejournal.com]

I kinda thought that there were 2 reasons Deb called CPS:

1) She's a moralistic bitch
2) Leaving the 12 y/o in charge was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the pathologies of having a hooking mother.