One of the biggest challenges for single parents is finding appropriate childcare during the working hours including after school, and in the evenings while the parent goes out on a date or an occasional girls night out. Many parents have to make tough decisions about going to work or staying home with a young sick child. With the potential threat of job loss for hundreds of thousands of single parents, often parents must make the heart wrenching decision to leave the sick child at home alone in order to keep his or her job. Some employers do not take into consideration the special needs of single parent families and rarely offer work at home situations (when applicable) or additional sick days to care for ailing children. Several single parents that I know have had to call in sick to work pretending that they are they sick one, when it was really their child that was sick in order to protect their job from less than understanding bosses.
The astronomical cost of after-school care prohibits many single parents from enrolling their children in safe, fun, and most importantly, supervised after-school programs. The hours between 3-6 pm are called the most dangerous hours for school-aged children who often come home to an empty house because their parents are at work. During this period youth are most at risk than any other time for drug use, violence and sexual promiscuity.
So just when is it ok to leave a child at home alone? According to the National SAFEKIDS Campaign, children under the age of 12 should not be left home unsupervised. Several states have laws and others have general guidelines as to when it is appropriate to leave chldren unattended. When you do leave your child alone, follow these safety tips from the SAFEKIDS Campaign:
* Place all emergency numbers (doctor, hospital, police department, fire department, poison control center, EMS) and the phone number of a friend or neighbor in a visible place near all phones.
* Point out potential hazards in your home such as electrical appliances and heating equipment and teach your child how to avoid injuries from them.
* Make sure your child knows where the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are located and knows your fire escape plan. Remind your child to get out of the house immediately if the smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm sounds and to call the fire department from a neighbor’s house.
* Plan and practice two escape routes out of the house and each room. It is important to have an alternate escape route in case one is blocked by fire.
* Insist your child use the proper safety gear while cycling, in-line skating, skateboarding or riding a scooter and that they always wear a helmet for these activities. Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and brain injury by as much as 88 percent.
* Show your child where the first aid kit is and how to use the items in it.
* Prepare a snack or meal for your child in advance, preferably one that does not need to be heated. If it must be heated, remind your child to turn off the oven or stove. Remind them to never leave a pot unattended while cooking.
* Tell the child where you will be, how you can be reached and when you will return home.
* If possible, leave your beeper or cellular phone number. Knowing your child can reach you in an instant will help put you, and your child, more at ease.