Child care providers in Nebraska

Midwest Child Care Association can help you find the right child care provider for you. Search our database of child care providers to find important information about schedules, location, and more.

Safety Guide for Latch-Key Kids

By Kathy Sutton

If you're a parent with school-age children and you work outside your home, then you'll inevitably have to deal with the question, "My child wants to stay at home alone after school -- should I let them?" The answer is a difficult one, and the hazards associated with children staying home alone are many. How can you decide if your child is ready to come home from school alone? And how can they stay safe once they get home? Here are some thoughts to help you decide, and help protect your child.

Is Your Child Ready?

Children's emotional ages vary a great deal during the school-age years. One child may be emotionally ready and able to take care of themselves at 10 or 11, and another may not be ready until 13 or 14. What is your child's emotional readiness?

• Is your child resourceful during an emergency or does he or she "fall apart"? If an emergency was to occur could your child calmly deal with the emergency?
• Do you trust your child? This may sound overly simple, but can you rely on your child to follow the rules you establish for his/her own safety? Can your child be trusted to never allow a person in the house regardless of the story they may be told? Can your child dial 911 and remain calm if an emergency arises?
• Is there a neighbor or friend close by that your child could call on in a true emergency?
• Does your work situation allow for close telephone contact with your child after he or she comes home in the afternoon?

The answers to these questions can help you to decide whether or not your child is really ready to come home from school alone. Children are concerned about their personal safety too, so by working with your child to come up with the answers to some of these issues, you can make your decisions together.

Establish the Rules

Establish a set of rules and a safety plan. Rules and plans for emergencies can alleviate some of the stress associated with latchkey kids. Here are some suggestions for rules and safety concerns:

• Never go into your house if it has been broken into--if the door is open or a window is broken. Run to a neighbor or a friend's house and ask to dial 911 from their house. DO NOT GO INTO THE HOUSE ALONE!
• Never tell anyone, even a friend, that you're home alone.
• Keep a spare key at a neighbor's house or hide it somewhere that only you know about. Have your key ready to open your door as soon as you get home. Have it in your hand.
• Never allow anyone into the house when you're alone. Regardless of the story that he or she tells you, do not allow that person into your house or open the door. If they insist or get angry with you for not opening the door, call 911.
• If a strange car drives by your house slowly, stops or keeps driving past call 911 and tell the operator what is happening. Stay away from the windows and keep the doors locked at all times.
• Never give personal information to anyone who calls you on the phone, anyone you chat with on the Internet, or anyone who comes to your door. Again, never allow a stranger to know that you're home alone.
• In case of bad weather, stay away from windows, turn off the TV and/or computer if there's lightning and stay off the phone unless it's an absolute emergency.
• Make a list of the agreed upon rules and post them on the refrigerator along with a list of phone numbers to call in emergencies.
• For the parent, set up a specific time to check in with your child after arriving home from school.

These are but a few suggestions for helping you and your child have a safe experience. This list is not intended to be comprehensive, but is meant to present ideas for you and your child to discuss together and become comfortable with before school begins.