Where are you? When are you coming home? Are you on your way back? Did you leave the store yet? Etc. Your child calls you thousand times when you leave him home for an hour? It definitely makes you nervous and maybe even guilty. It is true that many conservative parents and caregivers will strongly argue that kids should never be left home alone. However, this is not always practical and some circumstances just oblige you to leave your child home alone. Before deciding that you will leave your child home, you should first be sure that he is old enough for that!
When can I start leaving my child home alone without being worried?
There is no specific age when a child can be left home alone. Some parents believe that their 10 years old child is quite fine home alone, while others can’t even think of leaving their 14 years old child unsupervised at home. This is why, to make sure that your child is ready to be left home alone; there are some steps you should follow:
1. Make sure that your child knows the following list of information:
His/her full name
His/her full address
His/her phone number
Parents phone numbers
Numbers of the emergency departments (police, fire, etc.)
2. Make sure that your child knows how to lock and unlock the house door.
3. Make sure that your child knows what to do in case he injures himself and you’re not at home.
4. Teach your child how to deal with strangers. Make sure they will never open the door to anyone, and never say that their parents aren’t home!
5. Last but not least, simply make sure that your child isn’t afraid of staying home alone.
As a parent, you are the only one who can decide whether your child is old enough to stay home alone, or not.