The babysitter is MIA, you're late for work and you have to make a decision: stay at home or decide your child is old enough to manage the house.
According to New York state, it's up to you to decide if your child is responsible enough to leave them at home. In other words, there are no laws in New York that stipulate how old a person should be in order to be a babysitter.
However, according to the website for the Office Of Children And Family Services, "Parents and guardians need to make intelligent, reasoned decisions regarding these matters."
But just because there are no regulations doesn't mean you can't be held responsible for whatever happens to your child.
Most states do not have any laws that stipulate how old a child must be to stay home. However, Maryland specifies that child must be at least 8 for him or her to be left home by itself.
According to a U.S. Census Report, 24 percent of mothers who lived with a child 15 years and younger shelled out money to a child care service. Mothers paid on average $135 a week and $7,020 a year on child care services. Mothers who are not employed were less likely to pay for child care.
