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Latchkey
Kids
Home Alone.
Three movies were made using this name, beginning with
Chris Columbus' 1990 epic tale of 8 year old Kevin McAlister
being left behind when the family went on vacation to
Paris. Out of this movie, two more sequels were born, with
the concept pretty much the same - A young child using his
street smarts to overcome life threatening dangers.
Hollywood
fiction? You decide. In Illinois, 56% of 5th graders are
home alone after school in families where both parents
work. In single parent homes, the figure jumps to 69%, and
by 7th grade, 78% of kids are home alone after school.
There are some things a
family should do when preparing for kids to stay at home
alone after school. This includes obvious dangers like
access to firearms, adult beverages, and kitchen appliances
-- especially those that use natural gas.
It's a good idea to put
together a First Aid kit with your child, and discuss
appropriate measures in the event of an injury. Post
emergency phone numbers near all the telephones in the
house, and be sure to include contact information for
neighbors and other relatives who live nearby. Review
emergency evacuation procedures to get out of the house in
case of fire.
Another important safety
rule is to teach your
child to NEVER enter the house if the door is
open, or window is broken. Tell them to go to a neighbor’s
home for help and, if a break-in is also suspected by the
adult, to call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance.
You don’t want to make
your children paranoid about staying alone in the house, but
it is appropriate to go over safety instructions and to
discuss potential dangers. Things have, unfortunately,
changed in our society, and each of us has the
responsibility for our own security and protection. When
your children get home, they should lock the door and turn
on the alarm. Tell your kids how to respond so phone
callers and people at the door won't know they're home
alone. Make sure your kids know that they must not let
anyone into your home, including other kids, without
permission.
If you have a change of
plans, or if you are not going to return home when you said
you would, call and reassure your children. They tend to
worry when things don’t go according to plan, and a lack of
information can cause them to panic.
Using your alarm system to
secure your home when you're away is another way to help keep kids
safe. In fact, the newest generations of alarm controls can
be programmed to send a message to your pager when your
alarm is armed or disarmed. When your child gets home and
disarms the alarm, you'll know. When the re-arm the system,
you'll know. And if there is an alarm, you'll know. Ask us
for details!
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