I have gotten myself into watching a 12 year old girl, friend of my seven year old. Her mom is something else so I try to get her over at my house when ever possible. So with that said, here's my problem. Her mom works days right now and is going to third shortly. I am watching her about three days a week, for free. I would not mind watching all 5 or 6 but mom says she needs to stay home some. Well this time home is also alone. Her mom keeps saying she just recently received her babysitters liceanses and could stay home alone. I have tried to find out about this liceanses but coming up with nothing. I do not know if there is such a thing and is it OK for a 12 to stay home alone 10 a day. During the days she has to stay home I call and check on her but what about when her mom goes on third. Is that OK. Is her mom just telling this story about the liceanses thinking know one will question it and will not turn her in. My daughter is only seven so I have not got to that point of raising a child and wondering is this whole thing OK or should I do something. Please help. Any help or advice is welcome

I've never heard of a sitter's license for someone age 12. Maybe she took a babysitting course through the Y? In Illinois, a daycare worker has to have a license in order to care for six or more children in her home.

Here's a web site that might answer some of your questions:

Leaving Children Home Alone (http://www.expertlaw.com/library/family_law/home_alone.html)

Hmm? I have never heard of a baby-sitting license before. You could try to search it out on Google (http://www.google.com/) Yahoo (http://www.Yahoo.com/) or Ask (http://www.Ask.com). Anyway Good Luck!

The red cross does a baby sitter safety course, for teens getting ready to baby sit for others.

But no honestly many have children younger than 12 staying at home by their self, we just had a 13 year old on here getting ready to baby sit this summer for someone with young children.

But 12 year old stay at home all the time.