READER FEEDBACK: DO YOU AGREE WITH LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT A CRIME FOR PARENTS TO LEAVE CHILDREN 13 AND UNDER ALONE FOR AN 'UNREASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME'?

Compiled by Maureen Goggin

THURSDAY, June 29, 1995

On the whole, readers disagreed, with most of them decrying the very notion as blatant interference in parental matters. Of the more than 500 responses, those saying ''no'' outnumbered those in favor by 3 to 1. One woman quickly went to the heart of the matter for her and most of those who disagreed: ''Get a life. Work on the health care. Work on getting food for children in these schools. Let the parents decide how and when and at what appropriate age their children need day care.'' Another framed the issue for almost all those in favor: ''I think children under 13 lack the guidance and the maturity to make a responsible decision, and they look toward their parents in times of crisis. The legislation is a good idea.''

NOTE: This is an opinion sample, not a scientific poll.

''I think this law is inappropriate because children mature differently. Parents should be able to decide how mature their particular child is and not be dependent on the state to decide this."

SHARRYN ROSS
Jamaica Plain

''I am just a little bothered that the government can't provide proper public education to the children in this country, but can decide what parents should do as far as baby-sitting or day care for children. Get a life. Work on health care. Work on getting food for children in these schools. Let parents decide at what age their children need day care".
CHERYL CRANFORD
Wilmington

''Good heavens, how old are after-school baby sitters -- 12, 13 and 14? Would we all be committing crimes by having them baby-sit our children?"
MARY REILLY
Wellesley

''I think children under 13 lack the guidance and the maturity to make a responsible decision, and they look toward their parents in times of crisis. I think the legislation is a good idea."
LORI LYNCH
North Billerica

''I would like to have a more definitive description as to what you would call an 'unreasonable period of time' to leave the children alone. Is it a day or three hours or what? That should be clearly defined. It is too vague."
GERTRUDE KLINE
Newton

''My concern is all the parents who work, including myself. Children get out of school between 2 o'clock and 2:30, but parents don't get home until 5:30 or 6 o'clock. What are parents supposed to do for children who are 14 and under? Perhaps the age could be lowered to 7 or 8."
ALEXIS MONTGOMERY
Boston

''I strongly disagree with this legislation. I think individual children develop and mature at different times in their lives and it is up to the parent to decide when, where and how a child should be left alone. You have to build the responsibility in children gradually. This legislation is ridiculous and intrusive and should not be passed."
DANIEL MACALPINE
Boxford

''I agree with the legislation, but I would change the age to 12. There are some 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds who are quite responsible. I do believe that society needs to have some kind of comment made on the fact that we do not provide child care for our children. I've been a working mother and a teacher, so I speak from experience. People are concerned and society does not deal with kids correctly. There are no provisions for working mothers. The spirit of the proposal is right."
EILEEN KELLEY
South Dennis

''I do not think that we can legislate responsibility to parents. They either have it or they don't. Some 14-year-old children are more responsible than others, as are some 10- and 12-year-olds. The parents have to be responsible for the child's behavior. It cannot be done by legislation. Economics sometimes dictate that parents can't be home when children come home from school."
GORDON KNIGHT
Millis

''I don't want the government in my life more than it already is. I don't want it dictating if we can have baby sitters who are 12, 13 or 14 years old for short, reasonable periods of time. Beyond that, I think the occurrences of people who leave children for unreasonable times are very few and far between, and we don't need to pass a law in which the government is telling us what to do."
JOSEPH BRODERICK
Scituate

''Day care is not generally available for children over age 11. If the Legislature passes this, they'd better provide day care for children between the ages of 11 and 14."
LISA KOCH
Jamaica Plain

''I don't agree with the legislation. I think it is absurd. I was baby- sitting when I was 11 years old and I think it is absolutely fine for children that age to be home alone and to even watch younger siblings. I think the legislators should be a little bit more concerned with the 14-year-old parents in this state who are not getting any help."
PATTY MACLEAN
Dracut

''I feel that parents should be allowed to leave children under 13 alone if they judge their child is mature enough. However, if the child comes to harm during that time, the parent should be held responsible."
EZRA FELDMAN
Cambridge