Preparing child to be home alone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my house, the rule is that you do not respond in any way to a knock at the door. Anyone who needs to get in has keys. And they know that if someone is breaking in the front door, to run out the back door and vice versa.

Nobody you know ever knocks on your door? No neighbor, no mail carrier, no anybody? Only solicitors, proselytizers, and burglars casing the joint?

Not PP but I don't answer my door unless I'm expecting someone.

[Anonymous]

I answer my door, Its the only way to get the dogs to shut up!

[Anonymous]

Tell her not to take a shower while you're out. Most home injuries happen in the kitchen and bathroom.

Agree with others about not answering the door. Also, when my now 12 yr old began staying home alone I always have her things to get done while I was gone.

[Anonymous]

Is there someone, like a neighbor, you would have her open the door for? Someone you may contact in case of an emergency.

Tell her not to open door for her friends or acknowledge she isn't even home.

Do you have a dog? Our dog has to stay in the house with my child when alone.

[Anonymous]

God you people are paranoid.

[Anonymous]

My DD has stayed home alone for short periods since she was 8 (MD law says that's ok) and she knows not to go outside or answer the door. She even didn't answer the door when her grandmother was there. 12 is plenty old enough for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my house, the rule is that you do not respond in any way to a knock at the door. Anyone who needs to get in has keys. And they know that if someone is breaking in the front door, to run out the back door and vice versa.

Nobody you know ever knocks on your door? No neighbor, no mail carrier, no anybody? Only solicitors, proselytizers, and burglars casing the joint?

NP-pretty much.

[Anonymous]

I think that 12 is very old to start this ... but you can't change the past.

She should be old enough to use the toaster oven and the microwave.

She should know the electricity sometimes goes out and not to freak out. Our electricity went out and my son thought is was the beginning of a scary movie. I guess somebody hit a telephone pole close by. Pretty funny.


My 12 yo stays at home all day while I am at work. So I really think you are making a big deal out of nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that 12 is very old to start this ... but you can't change the past.

She should be old enough to use the toaster oven and the microwave.

She should know the electricity sometimes goes out and not to freak out. Our electricity went out and my son thought is was the beginning of a scary movie. I guess somebody hit a telephone pole close by. Pretty funny.


My 12 yo stays at home all day while I am at work. So I really think you are making a big deal out of nothing.

And do some run-throughs. I thought my 12 year old knew how to use the microwave, but he put something in for way to long (he followed the oven directions, not the microwave oven directions for a frozen pizza) and it burned to a crisp. First, I didn't tell him to stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Then, when it was burned, he didn't know what to do (STOP the microwave, for example, or use the tongs to take it out and drop it in the sink). Make sure they know how to clean up a big spill (seems obvious, but I bet my son would use two rolls of paper towels instead of grabbing a big towel out of the bathroom), what to do if they drop something down the disposal, etc. Kids are going to eat and drink while they are home alone.

[Anonymous]

I'd get one of those dog noise-makers (or a sound on the cell phone that can be turned up loud) and have that triggers if someone knocks on the door. You want to make people think someone is home but not answer the door (and not have a kid's voice).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my house, the rule is that you do not respond in any way to a knock at the door. Anyone who needs to get in has keys. And they know that if someone is breaking in the front door, to run out the back door and vice versa.

Nobody you know ever knocks on your door? No neighbor, no mail carrier, no anybody? Only solicitors, proselytizers, and burglars casing the joint?

Not PP but I don't answer my door unless I'm expecting someone.

I don't either. And no, at 12 at home alone, I don't think she should answer the door if someone knocks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She doesn't need to answer the door - or speak to anyone at the door. She should stay inside and not go near the door in my opinion.

Have you had a practice run?

Maybe you should go out for 30 mins a few days in a row and see how it goes. Build the time up from there.

That.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 12 year old isn't old enough to answer the door?

Not while home alone.

The risk that the adult on the other side is dangerous and clever enough to trick her into opening the door is too great.

E.g.: "Please, honey! Our cell phone broke when I dropped it and my wife is fainting! We need to use the phone to call 911! Please, little girl, she's pregnant, we need help! OH MY GOD! I think she's bleeding! Help us!"

I would have fallen for that in 10 seconds at 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell her not to take a shower while you're out. Most home injuries happen in the kitchen and bathroom.

Agree with others about not answering the door. Also, when my now 12 yr old began staying home alone I always have her things to get done while I was gone.

Agree with the shower thing. Bathroom is sitrictly for using the toilet only, while she's home alone.

[Anonymous]

I don't even answer the door if I'm home alone and someone I don't know is knocking on the door. I can peek out the kitchen window, and even if they see me, I don't answer.

My 10 year old has been home alone for 45 minute stretches, and never answers the door, even for a friend. He only answers the phone if it's me or DH. He knows my cell, DH's cell and how to call 911. Only time he got a bit nervous was when it began to thunder.