[patwolf]

I'm trying to get some parenting advice.

USER: What age do you think it's appropriate to leave kids home alone for short durations?

TALKIE-1930: From two to five years.

USER: should I do anything to prep the house to make sure they can't get into trouble or injure themselves while I'm out?

TALKIE-1930: Yes, you may leave the doors and windows open, and place the children in a room up-stairs, where they cannot possibly fall out.

USER: what would be your biggest safety concern?

TALKIE-1930: To keep them quiet.

Perhaps "safety concern" is an anachronism and it didn't understand the question.

[imp0cat]

Keep them quiet so they do not signal to passers-by that your house is unguarded (especially with the open doors and windows)? Thus make your house safe from unwanted intrusion?