How Old Does a Child Have to Be to Legally Be Left Alone in New Jersey?

There's a question that never really crossed my mind until recently.

It all started with a comment in a group chat.

Get our free mobile app

I don't have children, so I don't know why I was included in this conversation. So, I just sat back with my popcorn and enjoyed it.

Long story short, friends of mine wanted to get together with all of us in the group chat, but couldn't find a sitter for their son who is 11.

Read: Can You Legally 'Get It On' in Your Car in NJ? 

They had been discussing leaving their son home alone for the night a lot recently but weren't quite ready to pull the trigger.

My friends decided that it was time to let their son be on his own for a night and said "we're in" for the night out.

One of my other friends was horrified that this other couple would leave their son home alone at such a young age.

This turned into a whole big thing.

Speaking from experience, my parents didn't leave me and my younger brother alone for a night until I was about 12 or 13. Otherwise, we had a babysitter.

It turns out that there are laws in place that specify how old a child must be for them to be left alone in a house.

For example, in Illinois, the legal age is 14. In nearby Delaware, it's 12.

This is according to World Population Review.

In states like North Dakota, North Carolina, and Maryland, legally, children must be 10 to be left home alone.

And I don't know what's going on with Kansas, but they have it on the books that kids must be 6. 6?! That's just crazy.

How old do children have to be to legally be left home alone in New Jersey?

Shockingly, 0. There is currently no law in New Jersey that legally specifies an age to be left home alone.

Read: Can You Legally Go 10 mph Over the Speed Limit Without Getting a Ticket in NJ? 

New Jersey isn't the only state. As a matter of fact, most of the U.S. doesn't specify an age.

Ultimately, it's up to the parents to decide what's right for their child and themselves because every family dynamic is different.

Tell me, what do you think is an appropriate age to leave the kiddos home for a night? What was the age of your children? Matt.Ryan@townsquaremedia.com.