Parenting: The Challenge

How do you know when a child is old enough to stay home alone? Or how old they should be to go to the mall for the day or walk to school? Not all children achieve the same milestones at the same time. How can you tell when they are ready? A good way to start is asking the "what if" questions. Set up scenarios and ask what they would do in the situation. This will help you decide if they are mature enough to handle the situation. You will gain some insight as to what they can and cannot handle.