Not all kids are ready to stay home by themselves at a magic age. Discover how to know when your child is ready for the transition.
In a society where both parents need to work and daycares will only take in children after school up to 5th grade, the decision to let your child stay at home alone can be difficult to make. If you just need a few hours to run some errands, have a dinner date, or conduct business meetings outside of the home, these may be times that letting your child stay home alone would be the best scenario. Or, is it? Letting a child stay at home alone is not solely based on the child's age, but more on his level of maturity and comfort to handle the situation properly.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Does your child listen to commands well?
- Does your child obey house rules?
- Does your child seem receptive to the idea of staying home alone?
- Does your child know emergency numbers and how to reach you in case of an emergency?
- Can your child handle making snacks for himself?
- Is there someone you trust close by that your child can reach, if need be?
- Do you trust your child's behavior when left alone?
Tips to Help Assure Safety
- Children who live in a safe neighborhood are better suited to stay home alone.
- Review all the rules with your child and let him ask questions to be sure he understands all of them.
- Post emergency numbers where they are visible to the child.
- Children who know how to stay calm in an emergency situation will probably do well.
- It is a good idea to have a trusted contact in the neighborhood that can get to your child quicker than you in case of an emergency.
- Have a First-Aid kit that easily accessible to the child.
- Listen to your child if he tells you that something has made him uncomfortable about being home alone.
Ways to Transition to Home Alone
- Plan short trips away from home starting at about 15 minutes in length. Each time you leave your child alone, make it an additional 15 minutes. This will assess if your child feels comfortable being alone.
- Have a set routine drawn out for your child of what you expect him to do with his time, especially if coming home alone after school. Make sure homework gets done and give him chores to help keep him busy and productive.
- It is best not to allow friends over during these times. It gives way to too much temptation to get into trouble, especially if your child is not assertive enough to say to a friend when something is wrong.
- Talk with your child about he feels being left alone. If he has any reservations about it, do not force staying home alone upon him. Make other arrangements for his care until he feels comfortable.
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The copyright of the article When Can a Child Stay Home Alone? in Adolescent Culture is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish When Can a Child Stay Home Alone? must be granted by the author in writing.
