Home And Garden Articles

Tips For Kids Home Alone

About half of school-age kids stay at home by themselves for part of the day. Allowing your child to stay home alone can be great for her confidence and self-esteem, and it?s a good way to teach self-reliance. But, on the other hand, it?s important that your child is ready for the extra responsibility. To make sure she is ready to stay alone and fend for herself for a few hours, take some time to talk to your child about safety, house rules, and her feelings about being home alone.

Is your child ready?

As a general rule, kids under 10 shouldn?t be left home alone. But age isn?t the only factor that you should use to decide if your child should stay home alone. You may have a mature 11-year-old who feels perfectly capable of holding down the fort, but your 13-year-old may quake at the thought of being home alone for an afternoon.

You should make your decision based on a realistic assessment of your child?s maturity level. Ask your child how she feels about being in the house alone ? she?ll probably answer honestly. And ask yourself some questions, too:

? Is your child responsible enough to be in charge when you?re gone? Will she follow the rules if there?s nobody around to enforce them?

? Would your child be able to handle a small emergency if you weren?t there?

? Would your child be looking after younger siblings? Staying home alone is a bit different than babysitting. Is she responsible enough to look after a little sister or brother?

If you feel that your child can handle being home alone, it?s time to go over some basic safety tips together. In addition to following your house rules, it?s important that she knows how to stay safe and handle the unexpected.

Preparing to be home alone

If your child has never stayed home alone before, start small. Take a ?test run? and begin with leaving her home alone while you make a quick trip to the grocery store or the mall. Before you leave for any length of time, use this checklist and talk with your child about some basic safety precautions:

? Keep doors and windows locked at all times. This is always a good idea but it is especially important for kids home alone.

? Set some ground rules: Is she allowed to play outside or have friends over while you?re not home? Establish a rule and stick to it.

? Tell your child who to call for help. Make sure your child has at least one trusted neighbor that he can call in an emergency.

? Remind your child that she should never open the door to a stranger. Some kids think it?s okay to open the door to a delivery person or even someone claiming to be a police officer. Your child should know not to let anyone in, no matter what they say.

? Make a list of important numbers and post it close to the phone. Your child should know all the emergency phone numbers, including your local police and fire stations. She should also know to call 911 if there is a real emergency.

? Decide whether your child is capable of using the stove or oven unsupervised. An older teen can probably handle cooking, but you may want to leave some healthy prepared snacks for younger kids.

? Always childproof your home before you leave kids alone. You should already have a gun safe if you own any firearms, and make sure that kids don?t have access to the liquor cabinet.

Home alone ? and in control

Today?s busy work schedules have left many parents facing the idea of leaving their children home alone. But with a little preparation, being home alone can be a worry-free experience for both you and your child.

Ralph Winn with 35 years in the Security industry. http://www.homesecuritystore.com

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