Is Your Child Ready to Stay Home Alone?
School is back in session, and with it comes new routines and milestones for students. For many parents, one of the biggest decisions they face is whether their child is ready to stay home alone after school. With the cost of after-school care being expensive and hard to find, many parents are encouraging independence in their children. But how can they be sure their child is ready to navigate home on their own, even if only for an hour or two?
A handful of states have set age minimums for leaving children unattended, with Maryland law making it a crime to leave a child younger than 8 years old unattended. However, most states leave it up to parents and guardians to decide. Experts say that between 11 and 13 years old can be a good starting point, but stress that there’s more to the equation than age. According to Jaesha Quarrels, director of child care services at Oklahoma Human Services, “Inadequate supervision is a key factor in many preventable childhood injuries and neglect cases.”
Factors to Consider
When deciding whether a child is ready to stay home alone, parents should consider maturity and skills in addition to age. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that most children are not ready to handle emergencies until about age 11 or 12, and recommends structured supervision until then. However, Brian Tessmer, director of treatment and operations at Family Resources, a nonprofit agency in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, notes that “kids mature at different rates.” At a minimum, children should be able to recite their full name, home address, phone number, and the name of a parent, guardian, or other emergency contact.
Other factors to consider include whether a child can follow rules, handle routines, and keep themselves occupied with homework, toys, or electronic devices. Can they dial the phone? Fix themselves a snack? Do they know where the bandages are if they need one? What if there’s a tornado warning, or if they smell something burning or if a carbon monoxide detector goes off? Do they know how and when to dial 911? According to experts, a child should have no doubts about what they’re allowed to do, and even more importantly, not allowed to do.
Emotional Readiness
Even having all the necessary knowledge doesn’t mean a child is ready to stay home alone. At a time of high anxiety for American children, there is also emotional readiness to consider. “Oftentimes as parents, because it’s convenient — we’re busy, we have things that we have to do — we just kind of leave them alone,” Quarrels said. “But we need to consider how the child feels. Are they confident? Can they handle loneliness, fear, or boredom?” Communication is key, and parents should explain to the child that this is a milestone that they’re coming up to as a family, and that they have confidence in them.
Parents can also take steps to reduce anxiety, such as role-playing scenarios like handling a doorbell and dialing 911, and starting small by leaving a child inside while they’re in the backyard or taking a walk around the block. Smartphones and home security systems can also enable real-time monitoring and communication, putting children and parents at ease. According to Tessmer, “Always check in on a regular basis with your child if you’re going to be gone longer than 15 to 30 minutes.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, deciding whether a child is ready to stay home alone is a complex decision that depends on various factors, including maturity, skills, and emotional readiness. By considering these factors and taking steps to reduce anxiety, parents can help their children develop the independence and confidence they need to thrive. For more information on this topic, visit Here
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