There is an estimated 5 million children between the ages of 5 and 13 who are considered to be latchkey children. These children are left to care for themselves while parents are at work. One third of all complaints to child welfare agencies involve latchkey children.
There is conflicting opinion about the effects of leaving children to care for themselves. Some experts advise against leaving children under the age of 12 on their own. But some children under 12 may be all right on their own.
The two biggest fears facing a young latchkey child are an encounter with an intruder and a parent who doesn't come home on time. It is important that adults directly and indirectly involved in latchkey children's lives take the proper action to make sure these children are safe. Setting up neighborhood block watches to prevent crime, making sure your children know your neighbors and have contact phone numbers in case of an emergency are just a few of the many steps we can take to protect children.
Every child is different, so the maturity and personality of your child should be an important consideration to leave or not leave your child home alone. You need to assess your child's needs and explore the various options available to you. If your child is not mature enough to stay home alone, try to arrange for supervision such as through an after school program, the YMCA, Big Brothers and Sisters, or have a trusted friend or family member care for your child.
Seek alternatives to self-care! Find out if there are school-age child care programs or after school activities with adult supervision available in your community. Find out if your employer, school, church or other organization can start such programs or sponsor after school activities.
Consider hiring a babysitter to come to your home, or to keep the costs of child care down, try joining with other working parents to share the costs to paying a responsible stay at home mother or other responsible adult to watch the children after school. You can also check to see if there is an information referral service in your area. The American Red Cross regularly puts on babysitting training certification classes. Contact your local chapter to see if they can refer a sitter to you in your area.
Practice good communication between parent and child! If you can't locate good child care, you may have to consider having your child stay at home alone for a short period of time each day. This choice should only be made with the understanding that parents, whether physically present or not, are still in charge! This will create a positive experience for your child, help assure the child's safety and lessen your worry as a parent. To accomplish this takes planning and good communication with your child.
Consider whether your children can usually be relied on to obey rules, finish homework and complete chores. Are they afraid of the dark or afraid of unexplained noise? Have they developed the judgement necessary to turn off the TV and begin their homework or to say no when peers want to do something dangerous?
Encourage children to share their feelings and thoughts about being alone. Ask such questions like, "Do feel frightened or lonely when you think about staying home?" and "Would you prefer to be alone, with a sitter or in an after school program?" Initiate these conversations often and take your children's comments seriously.
Make your family expectations and values known to your children. Explain to them that you expect them to abide by the house rules when they are by themselves.
Remember, even when children are in after school programs or have a sitter, plans sometimes break down. Children get sick or insist they are too old for babysitters. Babysitters get sick, too, or find different employment. After school programs can be cancelled due to bad weather or during holidays and vacations. The result is that, even when care is arranged, children may end up on their own at some point, so all children regardless of their current situation need to be prepared. Whether children are going to be home alone regularly or only occassionally, you need to teach basic safety rules in a non-threatening way. This will keep a child safe and improve the child's self image as a capable person who knows how to deal with a potential problem.
To learn more about protecting the safety of children, please visit my other blog at: http://www.progressiveu.org/190000-june-2006-marks-10th-anniversary-of-national-safety-month
Feel free to also check out the attached document for further information and tips on latchkey children. Please respond to this blog if you have been a latchkey child. Share your advice and experiences for current and future parents and current latchkey children. Thank you!
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| Attachment | Size |
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| LATCHKEYCHILDREN.pdf | 208.21 KB |
To learn about the laws and guidelines on leaving children home alone, please visit my other blog at:
http://www.progressiveu.org/120128-home-alone
Thank you!
this is terrable. glad i never was one
It is terrible and an unfortunate reality for at least 5 million children. It's important as a society that we each take action and make a difference in these children's lives by creating after school safe havens and programs and such to avoid them from being home alone. And we need to encourage working parents not to leave their children alone. And hopefully future parents will not do anything to make their children be latchkey kids. Thank you for your interest and comment.
This reminds me of many cases where the mother has locked their kid, or even their baby in a hot car. People like this have their priorities misplaced. Which is more important, money or the safety of your child(ren)? Sure if your children can handle it, then go ahead. But how does one know which child can handle being by themselves and which child can't?
Thank you for your response. Regardless of a child's maturity level, I believe that any responsible parent would make the effort to see that their child is being cared for properly under the supervision of a trusted adult.