Staying Home and Feeling Safe

You work a full-time job, as does your husband or wife. Your children are at that age when they feel they are "too cool" for after school programs. They want their space, their privacy. They want to be left at home alone when the school day is over.

But as a parent you need to ask yourself some questions. Are they old enough? Mature enough? What do you need to know to ensure that your children will be safe alone at home?

You have to determine if they are old enough or mature enough.

Your child will be alone for about 3 to 4 hours. What will they do?

Give them activities to structure their time. There are many household chores that they can accomplish. This is an excellent opportunity to teach them responsibility.

Encourage them to do their homework. Tell them if they are going to stay at home they need to do their homework. Set goals and milestones. For example, tell them that you will let them stay at home after school for a week. They need to complete their homework and finish 3 out of 6 chores. If they do, they can stay at home after school for another week. Do this until you have established a bond of trust with your child. If not, they are not ready to stay alone at home after school.

Teach your children how to deal with unexpected situations. Tell them if you are expecting a package delivery from UPS, FedEx, or any other courier. If you are not expecting a delivery, tell them not to answer the door if someone rings the bell and identifies himself or herself. Tell them to call you immediately.

Tell them if you are expecting anyone. Is an electrician coming to make repairs? A plumber? Let your child know about anything out of the ordinary. Have them call you when that person arrives before they open the door. You also may want to make arrangements with the service that is sending the repairperson. Have them call you when they arrive. You may also want to previously define a password that only you, the repairperson, and your child know. Create a new password for each visit.

It is a responsibility for a child to stay at home after school. It is your responsibility to structure their time. Provide chores, guidelines, and milestones to ensure that you and your child succeed with this new stage of your child's life.