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Living as a Latchkey Kid
Tips to Keep Kids Safe
By Carma Haley
In our world of going in early and coming home late, children often have to fend for themselves. Latchkey kids are common. These children may get themselves off to school or come home to an empty house where they remain until their parents return. Cooking, cleaning, homework and -- at times -- supervising younger siblings are just a few of the tasks latchkey kids take on during their time at home alone. Is the latchkey culture helping kids learn responsibility or is it making them grow up too soon?
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that approximately one out of every 10 children in grades 4 through 12 is or has been a latchkey kid. The average amount of time a child is home alone either before or after school is approximately two to three hours. "Most children will come home, grab a snack and either watch television, play video games or get on the Internet," says Mara Berkley, a family therapist and professor in Bristol, R.I. "These children are not being stimulated enough. There is also the danger of inappropriate exposure without adult mediation such as on the Internet, flipping through channels or even afternoon talk shows."
According to Berkley, the negative effects of being a latchkey kid can be a major cause for concern. In addition to the fear of being alone, lack of stimulation and no adult supervision, there may be the feeling of being overwhelmed by the responsibility that accompanies a latchkey situation. "Latchkey kids are often given too much responsibility at too early of an age," Berkley says. "Also, if there is more then one child, the oldest -- who is then responsible for the younger siblings -- may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility. These children do not have the maturity of a parent to be responsible for younger siblings. There are a lot of emotional conflicts that occur between siblings and, in the latchkey situation, there is no grown up to mediate or model."
