hello, EF!

just wondering..

With which age is a minor allowed to stay home alone in the evening in Switzerland?

Thanks!

I just had a look round on Google and it seems there is no legal minimum age but I'm sure it depends on the child. A child of 16 could be immature and likely to get into difficulties whereas a child of 12 might be mature and quite okay on his or her own for a couple of hours.

Yeah- there's a lot of factors that come into play. Ultimately, it is up to the parents to use a healthy dose of common sense.

It's a really individual thing. I've noticed here in Switzerland generally many people do leave their children younger and for longer than they would in the UK. Some of the kids in my sons class have been going home with a key after school from around age 6 or 7 onwards.

My son is 10. I personally wouldn't leave him alone in the evenings for many reasons not least because he wouldn't feel comfortable. But I would and do leave him alone for around 30 mins during the day to go to the local shops etc.

I'm Swiss, my daughter is 7jrs old and now starts to accept being home alone for about 30min during daytime. This just started. I wouldn't leave her alone for longer than, say...45min without having a neighbour having a key to our flat and for her knowing that she could go and ask for help anytime. Don't know of any law dealing with this issue.

I used to walk home (about 1/2 mile with one main road to cross that had a lollipop lady) from school on my own and have a key to let myself in from the 2nd year of primary school, so I'd have been about 6.

With my own children, I started leaving them on their own for a few hours from when they were 6 and 8, but if it was after it got dark I'd get a baby sitter. They used to be out playing on their own most of the day anyway as we lived in a village.

Don't think I'd have been as relaxed about it if we had lived in a city.

My kids were used to being left alone for up to a week when the eldest was 13.

Tom

Legally 12 is the age when one child may look after/babysit for a younger one, so 12 is the age when a child can be left without adult supervision, but everyone must make their own choices based on a variety of other factors.

to my knowledge there is no law - at least in any european country I know of.
I was a bit taken aback when dining out with a couple from new york some weeks ago and they were very surprised at learning we had left our kids (13 and 10) at home alone that evening.
they claimed in new york it wouldn't be possible. I thought it would be for obvious safety reasons (NY is not zurich, after all) but they said it would be against the law in the US to leave children unattented, but couldn't remember until what age (their grandchildren are smaller).

having never heard of a similar law in switzerland, I think it's enough to rely on common sense and your knowledge of your child's feelings, reactions and maturity.
where we lived before, in germany, people tended (to my horror) to leave even small children (5-6) alone a lot, day and evening. many were even congratulating themselves upon "saving loads of babysitters' fees". I could never understand that - I'd rather save on something else, thank you very much, and be sure that my kids are as safe as possible. so many things can happen that are completely out of their control.
we had a wonderful babysitter, so our kids actually couldn't wait to be left alone with her and we knew they were having a great time, which allowed us to enjoy our evening out even more. when she moved away (to zurich by the way! so we could still ask her to come if needed) they decided they were big enough to stay alone, watching a film and eating pizza and even putting themselves to bed at the agreed time (more or less). they declared it would be completely UNCOOL to have a babysitter come over
even if they were never afraid and are very responsible young persons and get along well with each other (so we were never scared that they might get in to a fight), I personally would never have been able to enjoy an evening out before my oldest turned 12. at that age a child is already going on his/her own by bus or tram to school, in the city, etc. and if they can do that... of course I must add they could always reach us on our mobile and we never went too far, so that in case of necessity we need max. 1/2 an hour to get back. we still call them at irregular intervals just to make sure they're ok and finally to make sure they are putting themselves to bed... but it's rather to reassure ourselves

I, too, think that if your kid is about 6 (ie goes to school), feels comfortable on his/her own for a while and says so, knows who to contact in case of necessity (is able to call you or a neighbour on the phone, for instance) it shouldn't be a problem to pop to the shops for 30-45 mins to start with. it should be seen as an important step to gain self confidence and to grow up! you will soon both feel more confident and this will help the child feel more confident even in other situations in which he/she is alone without you (ie at school, on the way to and from school).

At 14, I started making extra cash as a baby-sitter, as some kids didn't like having female sitters, as well as some parents (due to 'boyfriends' coming over), so this was certainly the norm in CT back in the '70s.

Also, it would be rare there to have a sitter older than 15, as then they could get a "real" job.

Tom

I would not draw such a conclusion. Being alone and responsible for yourself is quite different from babysitting and being responsible for someone else as well.

I just think back to my own youth ... when my sister (14 at the time) took our sister (9), myself (7) and a few friends and cousins (total of 6 kids, ranging from 9 to 6 years in age) into the city on the train and bus to go to the Sydney Royal Agricultural Show (Easter Show, these days ... although there's still a heap of Ag in there!). I think she was paid 5 bucks per kid, and was also given control of our spending money ... so she was on a good deal!!

With our kids, we're more cautious ... I guess we read too many sensational news reports. Still, they've been at home without us during the day in various combinations for relatively short periods of time, while we're shopping and so forth. They know how to contact us (the older two have memorised our mobile numbers, even) and know what to do in an emergency ... still, we get babysitters for night-time absences.

That's total crap. I'm from NY, and by the time I was 13 was venturing into Manhattan (from an outer borough), and was quite often at home by myself. A lot of that time was during the day, when most of the kids from the neighborhood were out playing together anyway, but there were also a lot of evenings spent by myself as well. I was even preparing dinners by that age for nights when my mother had school, or had to work late.

Just like here, you need to use a good dose of common sense. It very much depends on the child.

It seems that there is an expectation that children can do a basic walk/ take trams etc to school alone, from when they start school.( using my understanding of the Baselstadt kg curriculum goals as a guide) If that is considered okay, then I imagine that it would also be seen as okay for children of that age to be home alone for short periods.

I don't know what the rules are in Switzerland, but in the US you can leave a 7 year old at home alone. Under 7 you could be arrested for child neglect. I taught in Florida and every year I would have at least one student who would go home to an empty house until the parents came home from work. In the States, you kids who are home alone are called "latch-key" kids. I do agree that you have to exercise judgement. Every kid is different. I had one little girl who was 7 and she used to go home by herself and make dinner and put herself to bed. Single mom had to work two jobs. She was a great kid and very responsible.

The school lunch program and after school care has a box to tick if they are allowed to send your kid home and if they should notify you first I would certainly hope they would inform the parents before sending a kid home if they weren't feeling well.

A friend was very peeved when they sent her 6 year old son home from school because he had wet his clothes. He was sent home and told to change his clothes and come back. She found her son wandering around outside the apartment block when she got back home.

Never make broad assumptions about the US based on a single state. Besides which, according to the info I can fInd, there is no legal minimum in Florida either.

http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchke...age-limits.htm

In any case, use your judgment. Some kids are smarter, tougher and more independent than others.