UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- With back-to-school season upon us, some parents may find themselves facing the difficult question of whether or not their children are ready to be left home alone after school. But information is available to help make that determination, says a Penn State expert.
"Age is not a reliable indicator," says Anne Heinsohn, a recently retired associate professor of extension education in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "Not all 10-year-olds or 11-year-olds are alike.
"For instance, some 10-year-olds are quite ready to be on their own regularly, while some 12-year-olds are not," she explains. "Some children at these ages can be employed as reliable babysitters."
Parents should realize that some children never will be ready to be home alone, says Heinsohn. "A child's readiness depends on many external factors such as the neighborhood environment, the child's fear level and how siblings interact with each other," she says.
"And it isn't just the city environment that parents need to worry about; the issue is critical for families in rural areas as well," Heinsohn adds. "It can be scary to go home to an empty house when there is no one close by."
Penn State Cooperative Extension offers a set of publications, titled "On My Own and O.K.," aimed at helping families decide if their children are mature enough to care for themselves after school and to help prepare them for the experience.
The program, which is designed as a cooperative exercise for parents and children, outlines steps to ensure that kids know how to be safe when on their own. It includes a pamphlet that helps parents assess their child's readiness to be home alone by presenting mock scenarios. There also is a children's packet of six 30-minute lessons that address topics such as expressing feelings, safety skills, daily routines, caring for siblings, using free time for leisure and nutritious snacks.
"The materials were originally part of a 4-H program to help kids get ready to be home alone, but the information really is ideal for families," Heinsohn says. "It's a way for the parent to see how the child feels about being home alone and how parents feel about leaving kids home alone."
To obtain a copy of the program materials, contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in your county or the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Distribution Center, 112 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802, 814-865-6713.
###
EDITORS: Contact Anne Heinsohn at 814-863-0387.
Contacts: Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-865-1068 fax