I know two people to whose place police have been called by neighbors "trying to help children" when they suspected (correctly) that a 7 and a 10yo were alone at home. The parents were normal, reasonable people (not born in the US); kids were never in danger.

When I was between 7 and 9 I often came home from school and was alone for a while, warmed up food or cooked something simple (using a gas stove that required a match to light), went outside to play with friends if I wanted, etc.

It is sad the society today will jump in to protect my kids from me if it catches me letting them do anything like that.