So Your Child Wants to Stay Home Alone—Part 2 Parents Families.com

So Your Child Wants to Stay Home Alone—Part 2

I remember the first time my parents allowed me to stay home alone… it wasn’t exactly a momentous occasion considering my grandparents lived within walking distance of our house. Of course, a lot has changed since the early 80s, and now I can’t see allowing my daughter to remain home unsupervised until at least her 30th birthday.

Jokes aside, if you successfully answered all of the questions I posed in my previous blog and feel confident that your child is ready to fend for himself, then consider the following tips offered by childcare experts to make his first solo venture a positive experience:

Remember the Rules. Before you even consider leaving your child home alone, make sure he or she is cognizant about house rules. It is your job as the parent to clearly state your expectations in regards to homework, TV time, phone time, visitors and others dos and don’ts. If your child has friends of the opposite sex, you should include a rule about responsibility and repercussions should your child break the rules.

Take it Slow. You might consider testing the waters first before leaving your child alone for an extended period of time. For example, start off by letting your child fend for himself while you go for a 30-minute jog around the neighborhood. If he does well with that, then gradually increase the amount of time you are gone so your child can get acclimated to being alone.

Mock Emergencies. Before your child goes solo, consider running through mock emergencies. Doing so will allow you to test your child’s decision making skills and see what areas need improvement. Your child should know how to operate a fire extinguisher and dial 9-1-1 before being allowed to stay home unsupervised.

Finally, make sure you leave a list of emergency contacts your child can use in case he cannot get in touch with you. Also, don’t be surprised if you get more than a few phone calls during your absence if your child has issues with loneliness.

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