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Home Alone
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| Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 | | CWK Producer |
“It's a very challenging issue. A lot of parents are working ... And so it does leave the parent in a dilemma.”
– Seema Csukas, M.D., Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
It’s a dilemma that is inevitable for all parents. It’s summertime and your child is out of school or your child is sick and you have to leave the house. What do you do?
“My husband or I have to suck it up and somehow figure it out - in half-day shifts, quarter day shifts, whatever works,” says Adair Johnson.
Ingrid Emmons agrees it’s tough, “I’ve definitely been in a dilemma where it’s been a struggle to try to figure it out.”
Experts say that if your kid is too sick or too young, there is no choice: someone has to stay with the child.
“Certainly a child less than ten years old I wouldn’t consider leaving home alone, whether they’re healthy or they’re sick,” says Dr. Seema Csukas, a pediatrician with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
But if the child is older than ten and responsible, Dr. Csukas suggests a checklist of questions regarding sick children staying home by themselves:
“Do they answer the phone, or not? Do they answer the door, or not? Can they cook anything? Can they use a microwave? Can they use a stove? Those kinds of things,“ she says. “Maybe you do some practice runs when they’re healthy. “
Some parents come up with their own checklists for their children.
“If they’re home alone the house is locked, the alarm is on, they’re not to leave the house and they have to have the phone next to them,” says Mark Alterio,
“Don’t open the door for anyone,” says Ingrid Emmons, “even people who seem familiar to you, unless it’s a family member. No cooking, [and] all the other children that are with you stay in the same room.”
Experts say devising strategies before your child is sick can save you time and panic when the inevitable sick day happens.
“Think of alternative plans,” says Dr. Csukas. “You know, can one parent be home with the child versus the other? Is there a neighbor? Is there a baby sitter? Are there other childcare arrangements that can be made?”
What We Need To Know
It can be a difficult decision to let your child stay home alone, but ultimately it comes down to how responsible your children are. Before you leave your child home by themselves, there are some questions to think about.
- Does your child show signs of responsibility with things like homework, household chores, and following directions?
- How does your child handle unexpected situations? How calm does your child stay when things don't go his or her way?
- Does your child understand and follow rules?
- Can your child understand and follow safety measures?
- Does your child make good judgments about what kinds of risks to take?
- Does your child know basic first-aid procedures?
- Does your child follow your instructions about staying away from strangers?
- Check local laws about when children are considered old enough to care for themselves. Most states have guidelines and recommendations available through the county department of child protective services.
- Leaving a sick child with an older sibling is not necessarily a good idea. Not all siblings get along well – so it may be a challenge to have the younger or the sicker child listen to anything the older child has to say.
- Post emergency numbers and contact information near your telephone. Review home safety and emergency procedures, such as a fire escape plan and how to call 911. Establish house rules about leaving the house, having friends over, using the phone, cooking or taking medications.
- Childproof your home. Lock up anything that could be a health or safety risk, such as prescription and over-the-counter medications, alcohol, guns, tobacco, lighters and car keys.
- Go through scenarios and back up plans with your child about how they should act if they have to stay at home alone. If someone knocks at the door, do they respond? Should they answer the phone? Is there a neighbor or friend nearby they can contact in an emergency, if they can’t reach you?
Resources
- National Crime Prevention Council
- Children’s Service Society of Utah
- Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
- Department of Family Services, Fairfax County, Virginia
