The Truth About Idaho’s Law On Babysitters

Look, I get it - as a father of three who is always on the go, I can certainly vouch for parents when they say they need a break. Ultimately, if I want to have a date night with my wife, Bailey, we will have to arrange to have a babysitter watch our children. We have three little ones, ranging in age from a month old to an almost-5-year-old.

Now, it should be evident to anyone that they'll need constant attention and supervision, especially the newborn... right? Not so fast.

It turns out that Idaho law doesn't in fact require parents to have a sitter or guardian around when away from their kids. Are there laws about child endangerment and certain places you can legally leave your children unattended? There sure is, but, as far as the conditions of leaving your children home alone, there is no actual legal age minimum.

In theory, this means that a parent can technically leave their child at home unattended in the state of Idaho. Now, one would think it's obvious to most parents to not leave their itty bitty babies at home alone but does everyone follow the rules?

Also, what if the 10-year-old you did decide to leave at home gets into trouble thanks to the advent of technology? Does a child really have the mental capacity to handle a situation if presented with an emergency at home by themselves?

I'm not saying that this law should be completely repealed but should there be more regulation or at the very least, an age minimum that you should be able to leave your kids home alone? Let me know your thoughts here and let's get into the law on babysitters in Idaho and surrounding states.