Rules for leaving your kids at home alone

March 29, 2015

home aloneEven if you have children that are getting up there in age, it can be a little intimidating to leave them at home alone. You never know what might happen, and it is scary for parents to think about what might happen if they were not there and something were to go wrong. I want to present you with a few tips that can help give you some peace of mind and ensures that your children are safe when they are at home.

Your children have to be ready to be alone

Remember that most legal guidelines demand that any children younger than 12 do not be left alone at home. It is also important that you take your child’s maturity level into consideration before you decide to leave him or her at home alone. Not all children have the same level of maturity. Make sure that you talk about leaving your child at home before actually doing so, this will help gauge their ‘readiness’ level.home-alone1

In case of emergency

One of the first things that you have to do is ensure that your children know what to do in a case of emergency. You can help with the preparation:

  • Emergency numbers – Make sure that you have all emergency numbers and the phone number of a friend or neighbor in a visible place near all the phones in your home. Numbers that you want to include are doctor, hospital, police department, fire department, poison control center, and EMS.
  • Point out hazards – Make sure your child is aware of different hazards such as heating equipment or electrical appliances. Do not simply tell them not to touch it, teach them how and why to avoid injury.
  • Fire escape plan – Make sure that your child knows your fire escape plan and is aware of where the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are in the home. Make sure that they know to call the fire department from a neighbor’s house and leave the premise immediately if the smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm sounds.
  • Alternative escape routes – It is imperative your child has an alternate escape route in case one is blocked by fire. Make sure to practice this route before ever leaving your child home alone.
  • First aid – Show your child where the first aid kit is and how to use the items in it
  • Prepare food – You want to make sure that you have a snack or a meal ready for your child beforehand, preferably one that you would need to heat up. If you cannot get anything that would not be heated, make sure that your child knows to turn off the stove or the oven. Remind them again that you never leave a pot unattended when making something to eat.
  • Tell your child where you will be for the evening, how you can be reached, and when you will return home

Stay in touch

Even though some parents consider it ‘micromanaging’, remember that calling in from time to time (depending on how long you plan to be away) is nothing strange.

Dealing with strangers

Remember to teach your child that they should not open the door for strangers, whether they ring the doorbell or knock on the door. Unscrupulous criminals will not hesitate to barge into a home if they notice a child is home alone. Instruct your children to call a friend or neighbors if someone is attempting to get into the home or knocking on the door repeatedly.

Security cameras

Remember that thanks to the Internet, you may be able to have security cameras in your home that you are able to watch on your device, whether it be a laptop or smartphone. This might give you some additional peace of mind.

For more information you can call me right now: 416-825-7888 or email angela@azgta.com

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