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Home
Alone
We know them as latch
key kids, home alone in the afternoon before mom or dad gets home. Experts
say kids look for something to do during those hours, and they often find
trouble. "Idle time is the devil's workshop," says juvenile
judge Greg Adams, "That’s when a lot of it takes place before the
parents get home."
Deciding if and when
it’s all-right to leave kids home alone for short periods of time can
be tough, since even good kids can stray. “99 percent of the time we would
follow the rules, but every now and then you just want to stray from the
circle,” says 16 year old Jamal, who has been a latchkey kid since the
time he was 8.
In fact, experts say
kids under the age of nine should never be left alone, and until the age
of 12 only for short periods of time. David Hellwig, a child protective
services supervisor, says kids who may seem fine under normal circumstances
alone, may panic in an emergency. He says it’s important to make stern
rules about what the child can and cannot do while alone, and be sure
they have emergency phone numbers available.
Parents should give
kids several “test” runs. Leave them alone, but be close by and monitor
their behavior.
What
Parents Should Know
Kids who stay home
alone and after school develop and opportunity to develop self-management
skills and confidence, but it takes some parental planning to make their
experience a good one.
- Leave the children
for an hour three times a week to start, then increase the time as they
learn how to handle themselves and potential problems.
- Role playing,
such as pretending you’re a stranger coming to the door, can also help
them build confidence. Try to anticipate as many variables as possible
and prepare your child for them.
- If two or more
youngsters will spend time alone together, have a workable solution
for resolving conflicts between them.
- Leave a list with
numbers for parents, neighbors, emergency services, and a poison center,
especially if children care for younger siblings.
- Insist that children
walk around the house outside to check windows and doors before going
inside, then lock the door behind them.
- Never tell a stranger
on the phone that the parents aren’t there, and make sure they know
to give their address.
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"At
the age of 12, I realized the severity of following the rules.”
--Kadiyah, age
18, a latch key kid since she was 10 years old.
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The
Devil's Workshop
Experts say
to reduce the chances of mischief when kids are home alone, parents
should make sure they have plenty to do:
- Make homework
part of the routine.
- Make a checklist
of things to do, assign duties around the house, but start small.
- Have a snack
waiting for them. Prohibit any cooking.
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Time
for Trouble
Recent studies
show a majority of the crimes committed by juveniles happen when
they‘re left alone, without parental guidance. By the age of 12,
around 35 percent American children are regularly left on their
own.
Especially among
the working poor, the numbers are alarming. According to a study
by Wellesley College, more than 15 percent of low income parents
reported that their 4 to 7 year old children regularly spend time
all by themselves, or in the care of a sibling under the age of
12.
Some school
districts around the country have extended hours to accommodate
working parents… staying open later.
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