Mommy22alyns Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 What would you say a child (of whatever age) should know/know how to do before you would leave them home alone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Use the phone. What to do in the event of a fire or other similar emergency. Be trusted not to do whatever it is you tell him not to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 How to reach a responsible adult What to do in an emergency (medical, fire), when to call 911 It should also be completely clear what kind of activities he can safely engage in while alone and which activities are off limits when no adult is home. For example, for a younger child, this might be not using the stove, or the electric kettle, or big knives, or leaving the house - some or all of which would be perfectly fine for an older child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Don't go in the pool, don't make a fire in the fireplace, don't use the stove or similar appliances, no knives or scissors... Now's not the time to practice your back handsprings or to see which is the highest stair you can jump off of and land on your feet... Just sit nicely and read a book or watch tv. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Now's not the time to practice your back handsprings or to see which is the highest stair you can jump off of and land on your feet... Just sit nicely and read a book or watch tv. :) When we first started to let the kids be home by themselves, we'd switch on a movie which was a rare treat since we do not have a TV. They'd sit and watch, and it also did not give much occasion to sibling fights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Oh and know not to answer the door (if that's your rule) and not to tell people who call you aren't home. Or just have them not answer the phone or screen calls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I agree with the above guidelines. I was afraid I was going to see people post a much longer list of abilities, LOL. My kids are not allowed to use heat to prepare food while home alone. And they are not allowed to answer the door (not that people come knocking often). I need to be able to trust them to do what I say. That's about it for me. I know this is not going to be popular, but my kids don't have a phone when they are home alone. Our land line is disconnected and they don't have a cell phone. They know to go to a neighbor in case of emergency. (We live in a suburb so it's not like a neighbor is far off.) My kids haven't taken a comprehensive first aid course yet, but they know how to deal with minor stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 Don't go in the pool, don't make a fire in the fireplace, don't use the stove or similar appliances, no knives or scissors... Now's not the time to practice your back handsprings or to see which is the highest stair you can jump off of and land on your feet... Just sit nicely and read a book or watch tv. :) Always important for parents of gymnasts... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Basic first aid. How to call 911. How to not answer the door or give identifying info about people in the home. I did not restrict food, crafts, basic food prep. At the youngest "alone" period, no friends over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Using a fire extinguisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 The child should be trusted to stay inside with the door locked. Know how to call you, call 911 (and give address, etc.). Know to get out immediately in case of fire. Feel comfortable walking to a neighbor's house to get help if needed. Child should know how to list his/her allergies and/or those of any younger children's health/she will be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarinesWife Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Mine are not allowed to eat, go outside, or go upstairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I agree with a lot of what has already been said: what to say on the phone (or not to answer it), not to answer the door, what they are allowed to do, basic emergency response, who to call and how. I would also add that I would want a kid staying alone to have some amount of common sense/problem solving skills. I'm not totally sure how to teach this other than to slowly give more responsibility and see how they do but I think they should have some degree of common sense and be able to handle situations that you might not cover in a conversation. For example, I took the dog for a short walk the other evening and left the kids. They were supposed to clean up after dinner. The next day I discovered they had dropped a glass while I was out. I didn't know they had dropped it because my oldest had sent the others out of the room so they wouldn't get hurt and cleaned it all up very well. I found out because they mentioned it in conversation, they weren't trying to hide it. I would never have gone over "what to do if you drop a glass" so it was reassuring to me that he used common sense and did the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Can I just say I have seen the "no eating" Rule before and at other boards. I don't know why, but I have a rather visceral reaction to it. I strongly feel if a child can be left alone, they can also eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Can I just say I have seen the "no eating" Rule before and at other boards. I don't know why, but I have a rather visceral reaction to it. I strongly feel if a child can be left alone, they can also eat. Why no eating? Are parents afraid the kid will choke, or are there food allergies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 Why no eating? Are parents afraid the kid will choke, or are there food allergies? I'm curious too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 We do have a no cooking rule. But I leave my kids for awhile sometimes. If it's in the day, I'm leaving breakfast or lunch. If it's in the evening, I likely popped popcorn and left a movie. Any time they are allowed to have the food they are allowed to have, like the fruit in the bowl that's out or a yogurt tube if they're really hungry. I think it's the little things that you don't think of. I mean, everyone knows to tell kids to pick up or text if I call, how to reach adults, how to call 911, what's an emergency. It's the no cooking, no crazy stunts, not the time to practice gymnastics, not a good time to try and start a huge messy art project sorts of things that I think take us by surprise. Also, if you don't get a lot of door visitors or phone calls or something along those lines. In the end, it's always the things you don't expect. Like, yes, the microwave cannot have metal. (Everyone was fine... even the microwave... No more cooking when I'm out.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Using a fire extinguisher. That's a tough one. I don't think I'd even want my kid trying to do that. I wouldn't want them to make a judgement call as to whether or not they could handle putting out a fire on their own. Granted it seems like a good idea for a very small fire and then it wouldn't lead to burning your house down. But I'd rather have my house burn down than my kid try to put out a fire and get hurt or worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Why no eating? Are parents afraid the kid will choke, or are there food allergies? Yeah I admit I've told my kid this before. No eating. LOL Yes I really am afraid of choking. I don't do that anymore though. And I've talked to my kids about what they can do if they are choking and alone. I know it's silly, but I do worry about stuff like that. But I'm talking I left for less than an hour. I think they can go an hour without food. KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 One thing to consider about "no answering the door." My husband is a police officer and a common thing for petty thieves, at least in this area, is to knock before breaking into a house. If someone answers, they ask if you've seen their dog or offer to rake leaves for a hundred bucks, then move next door when you say no. If no one answers after a good bit of knocking, they break in. My kids are little, so I don't know how to put this in practice exactly, but maybe teach your kids to make some noise, like slamming a door, if someone is knocking. And help them pick a window to look out so that if they see it is the police or grandma they can make an appropriate decision (opening the window to talk to the cops, if you'd prefer that to them opening the door, perhaps.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 One thing to consider about "no answering the door." My husband is a police officer and a common thing for petty thieves, at least in this area, is to knock before breaking into a house. If someone answers, they ask if you've seen their dog or offer to rake leaves for a hundred bucks, then move next door when you say no. If no one answers after a good bit of knocking, they break in. My kids are little, so I don't know how to put this in practice exactly, but maybe teach your kids to make some noise, like slamming a door, if someone is knocking. And help them pick a window to look out so that if they see it is the police or grandma they can make an appropriate decision (opening the window to talk to the cops, if you'd prefer that to them opening the door, perhaps.) This is an issue in our area as well. We have windows on either side of our front door, so I've taught our kids to go to the door and just shake their head no at whoever is out there. Occasionally a solicitor has tried to talk to them through the door, and I've taught them to say, "Mommy's in the shower. You have to come back later." I wouldn't want a criminal to think nobody is home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 That's a tough one. I don't think I'd even want my kid trying to do that. I wouldn't want them to make a judgement call as to whether or not they could handle putting out a fire on their own. Granted it seems like a good idea for a very small fire and then it wouldn't lead to burning your house down. But I'd rather have my house burn down than my kid try to put out a fire and get hurt or worse. Yes, same here. Young kids should LEAVE the house and call 911 from a cell or the neighbors - not try to fight a fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I used to be weird about choking when my kids were tots. I wouldn't let them eat in the car when they were rear-facing and I was driving. I think it was because once my kid did choke on something. (I noticed and was able to pull it out of her throat.) Also, my nanny's adult daughter has permanent brain damage from choking as a tot. I stopped worrying about that a long time ago, though. We can teach our kids how to do the heimlich on themselves if we are still worried about choking when they're old enough to stay alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I remember doing some really dumb things around the stove when I was a kid. I was old enough to put out a small fire, thankfully. :P We didn't have a fire extinguisher, but I knew how to cut off oxygen to the fire. (A pan lid over the burner etc.) My kids are just learning how to cook with supervision. They don't always think of everything. I could see one of my kids leaving a paper towel on the stove and firing up a burner. No thanks. There are plenty of things to eat which don't require cooking. I won't forbid it forever, but they aren't ready to cook alone yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 This list is funny when you have high schoolers. My kids still do some of these. They don't answer the phone unless it's my number of dh's. (we have caller id.) They don't go outside, much. In fact I had to laugh, ds wouldn't come near the house once when I was home so that one of those door-to-door people wouldn't come to our door. "They would know you were home if I came near our house!" "DS," says I,"you are 6 ft tall and in high school, you are allowed to be outside when no one is home." Yes, this was just last fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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