Tag Archives: home alone

Latch Key Kids

When I got divorced it was summer, this helped a bit as Hailey was able to stay with her older cousins during the day while I worked. When school started though, it was tough. Like so many other single parents, money is tight and there often isn’t money to pay someone to babysit your child before and after school. That first week was the scariest time since the divorce. Hailey had never been left home alone and now, she was alone before and after school. I was really stressed, Hailey didn’t seem to mind at all, but I had to … Continue reading →

How Young is Too Young to Be Left Home Alone?

As our children begin to grow, we may be wondering when it is okay to leave them alone. How old should they be when you allow them to be home alone from the time they get home from school until you get home from work? Is it okay to go out for a date night and leave a child home in the evening? What about a simple walk around the block? How old can your child be when you leave him in the car to run into the store? Years ago, parents didn’t worry about such things, I think. I … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

So Your Child Wants to Stay Home Alone

If you have tweens in your family the topic of staying home without adult supervision may be one you discuss frequently. This isn’t the case in my home (yet), but deciding whether or not to allow her 10-year-old daughter to fend for herself is a hot topic at my best friend’s house. My two cents worth was a firm “no,” and my BFF agreed, but her number one child won’t let the issue go. In their case, the 10-year-old wants to be unsupervised in the afternoons during a 2-hour period between the time she gets dropped off by the school … Continue reading →

Summer Safety Begins at Home

My neighbor and her husband both return home from their jobs at about 5:30 p.m. That means their 12-year-old son Ryan (who is currently enrolled in summer school) is home alone for about two hours each day. I often see him riding his bike up and down the street or shooting hoops to pass the time until his parents return home. And he’s not alone; hundreds of thousands of children across the country whose parents’ work outside the home are left unattended—especially during the summer months when school is not in session. Ryan is a great kid and I know … Continue reading →

Staying Home Alone

As my oldest son approaches twelve the subject of staying home alone is one that we revisit frequently. How do you know when your child is ready to stay home alone? Knowing your child well is the key to judging his or her ability to stay home alone. One of the biggest mistakes parents make is using an arbitrary age to determine their child’s ability to stay home alone. Some states set age minimum that a child must reach before they are allowed, by law, to stay home by themselves. Some parents misinterpret this to mean that their child is … Continue reading →