This is a question that all parents ask at some point and it is also a question that has been raised in the UK recently because of new information obtained by a Freedom of Information request.
Figures obtained by BBC Breakfast show that over 500 people were arrested in England and Wales between 2014 and 2015 for leaving children unattended.
The majority of arrests were related to children aged 10 and under, however the ages ranged from six weeks to 15 years.
It is important to note that these statistics are not entirely accurate as not all of the police forces responded to the FOI request.
In the UK and Ireland, the law does not specify an age at which it is okay or legal for parents to leave their children at home alone.
However legislation in the UK does say that children must not be abandoned or neglected to an extent that is “likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.”
A police officer told the BBC that due to the absence of definitive rules, both officers and parents have to use their own judgement when dealing with such situations.
At what age do you think it is okay to leave kids at home alone? Let us know in the Facebook comments or get in touch on Twitter (@HerFamilydotie).
