Home Alone

Many families face a childcare dilemma: Who will watch the kids between the time they get out of school and the time when their parents get home from work? Some solve the problem with after school programs, babysitters or family relatives. However, others let their children go home and care for themselves.

Nearly seven million school age children per year are regularly left home alone. When is it okay to begin leaving your child at home alone? The answer really is different for every child. In general, children under 10 should not be left on their own, babies and younger children should not be left alone even for a few minutes.

Is your child ready to say home alone? Can he/she:

Be trusted to come straight home from school?
Follow instructions and your rules well?
Easily use the telephone, locks and household appliances?
Demonstrate a sense of responsibility in his/her actions?
Be counted on to stay calm in an unexpected or emergency situation?
Stay home alone without being afraid?

You may try starting out with short trial runs, leaving your child home alone for 15 minutes or so and gradually increasing the amount of time your child spends alone. Take it slowly, staying within the comfort level of both you and your child.

Home Alone Safety Tips

Let your kids know what you expect of them—discuss your house rules.
Make sure you have a list of important numbers where your child can find it. These numbers should include the parents’ work numbers, closest relative, emergency services, etc.
Discuss how to respond to a variety of situations and practice responses through role-play.
Ask your child to call you as soon as he/she gets home.
Teach your child to carry a house key in a safe place (inside a shirt pocket, in a book bag, etc.) Do not leave a key under the mat or anywhere outside of the house.
Instruct your child not to enter your house if the door is open, unlocked or anything seems unusual.
Remind your kids to never let anyone know they are home alone.
Ask your kids to let you know immediately if anything makes them uncomfortable or frightened.

Build a Safe Environment

Take the time to look around your house and see what you can do to improve the safety of your kids when they are home alone.

Keep windows and doors locked at all times.
Teach your child to use any appliances he/she may need after school. If you do not want your child to use kitchen appliances, you may want to stock up on snacks and food items that do not require cooking.
Are there things you do not want your children to get into? Take the time to talk with them about the deadly consequences of guns, medicines, power tools, drugs, alcohol, cleaning products and inhalants. Make sure you keep these items in a secure place out of sight and locked up, if possible.
Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher (and smoke detectors) and your kids know how to use it.
Teach your child basic first aid skills to take care of minor scrapes and cuts.

Children who are mentally and emotionally ready to stay home alone, who have been taught the skills and knowledge needed to deal with new responsibility, and who can talk easily with their parents about fears or concerns that may arise can gain much from the opportunity to care for themselves.

Source: Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, 3344 Hillsborough St, Ste 100D, Raleigh, NC 27607 1-800-CHILDREN

Department of Public Instruction School Improvement Division, Alternative and Safe Schools/Instructional Support Section (919) 807-3939