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For parents of “tweens” – children 9-12 years old – summertime often means having to make decisions about whether tweens can stay home unsupervised and for how long. While there is no single “right age” that indicates children are ready to stay home alone, parents often consider whether their child is responsible and knowledgeable enough to make good decisions for the situations that might arise.

In our latest NPCH Report, we asked parents of children 9-12 years old about their expectations for summer supervision for their tweens. 4 of 5 parents said they are very confident that their tween will know what to do in a storm or fire if home alone. Only about half of parents are confident that their tween will not play with guns if home alone. Mothers and fathers have similar levels of confidence in tweens’ safety practices. Read the full report – Tweens safe alone? Parents less sure about guns than emergencies

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What do you think?
Would your tween know not to play with guns if home alone? How confident are you in their ability to follow other safety practices? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @csmottpoll.