I decided to leave my son at home alone when he was 12 years old. I know by then he was responsible enough and mature enough to handle himself well. What I did is I registered him to SafeKidZone for his safety. It's a panic button installed on his cell phone that in case he will encounter an emergency, he will just press it and it will simultaneously alert his trusted friends, family member and that nearest 911 with complete information. If you want to check out, this is their site http://Safekidzone.com/