Several Florida students are celebrating spring break this week, and parents and guardians may be looking for ways to keep their kids busy until school returns next week.
Bouncing around from daycare to summer camps to relatives’ houses can easily add up. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual cost of full-time child care in Florida ranges from $9,548 to $13,021, depending on the children’s ages.
With these expenses, some families might wonder whether their children are ready to stay home alone. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you make the decision.
At what age can kids stay home alone in Florida? What’s the youngest legal age?
Florida doesn’t have clear laws specifying an exact age at which children can legally stay home alone. It’s up to parents to decide when their children are old enough.
The state agency overseeing children’s welfare recommends that they not be left home alone before age 12.
The state does have more specific laws surrounding child abandonment and neglect. According to Florida State Statutes, it is a felony of the third degree to deprive a child of necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment.
Can a 12-year-old babysit siblings in Florida?
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends that children not be left alone before the age of 12. It also notes that older siblings should not supervise younger children until they are 15.
See tips for parents and caregivers letting kids stay home alone
Once you have determined that your child is ready to stay home alone, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families shared tips to help caregivers prepare children for being home alone:
When is spring break for Florida students? See list by county
Spring break dates vary by county and range from early in March to mid-April. Here’s the list by county, with those in bold currently having its spreak break:
Special note: School calendars often change. Here’s a state list of homepages for each Florida school district.
Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK Florida
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: How old do Florida kids have to be to stay home alone on spring break?
Reporting by Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
