latchkey kids

[Anonymous]

Do they exist anymore? At what age do parents not have to pay for aftercare or afterschool nanny, etc? When I was in first grade and my sister in second, we were on our own. Doesn't seem to be that way anymore.

[Anonymous]

And I used to babysit babies and toddlers when I was 12! Can't imagine that happens as much now...

[Anonymous]

Very good question. I was a latchkey kid in second grade. Didn't kill me. But I am afraid that if I did that with my kids, a neighbor would report me to DSS, my kids would be snatched away and put into foster care, and then they really *would* be in danger.

In all seriousness, I think that these days affluent middle class types --e.g., the people who populate these boards-- tend not to let their kids stay home alone, even for a few hours, until their kids are at least 10 or 11.

For what it is worth, if you look at most gov't social service sites, they tend to give 12 or so as the age at which kids can be left alone for several hours (and-- here's a laugh-- 13 as the age at which they can be left alone for several hours while supervising younger kids-- in other words, babysitting! So they magically go from being unready to be left along for two hours at 11, to being okay on their own at 12, to being babysitters at 13).

[Anonymous]

Related question: at what age would you let your child walk alone to school or a friend's house? Assume the walk is short (1-3 blocks), is on sidewalks, involves crossing no major streets, and is in a very safe neighborhood full of families and dog-walkers.

[Anonymous]

PP - 8 years

[Anonymous]

Latchkey is such an 80s "ABC After School Special" term....does anyone else remember those shows but me? They were really good.
Anyway, the geographics of our neighbors have changed so much that I think parents don't trust their kids to go out anymore. I was walking home from school in the 5th grade and I loved it. I was like one of the last kids to have "permission" to walk home from school but boy did it feel like such a grown up thing to do. These days it seems like schools are so far from the neighborhoods that walking home is not an option unless you live in the district. I live in a MD in a single family home community and the house are so far away from eachother that I don't know when my son will be allowed to just go over to a friends house by himself. We (the moms on our block) just started letting our kids ride their bikes in the immediate area (our cul-de-sac and ajacent bike path) without supervision and they kids are ages 6 - 9. We all pop our heads of of the house to make sure the kids are within view of the house. When I was a kids I would literally leave the house at 9 am in the summer time and ride my bike around the neighborhood return at noon for lunch and then be gone again until dinner time. I can't imagine my son being out that long at any age right now without some sort of supervision. It is a sign of the times. Geez..I sound like my mother

[Anonymous]

I remember ABC After School Specials. Enjoyed watching them when they were on.

Latch key kids are probably not allowed now. It would be considered "neglect."

I used to walk through isolated forests with another 6 year old to get to and from home & school. Can't imagine that happening now for my child or even for myself.

[Anonymous]

Things are SO different now. I walked to the bus stop alone in kindergarten. Now, as an adult, I won't go for a walk on a popular bike trail alone unless it is a weekend. We live two blocks from the school my kids will attend--two blocks down a very quiet street. But I don't think anyone lets their kids walk to or from alone until at least 2nd if not 3rd grade.

I also babysat at 12--pretty much every weekend. We were allowed to be home alone for the hour or two after school until my parents got home probably by 11 or so. But I wasn't allowed all day alone (summers) until high school. I used to be furious (how can I babysit, but not be allowed to be alone)? But so it was...!

[Anonymous]

Wow, I wouldn't let my third grader walk anywhere alone, not on my parents' cul-de-sac and not in my 'hood. How can that be ok if it's not legal to leave an 8-year old home alone? For the record, I wandered around my neighborhood and stayed home without adults at that age, too, and survived, but we're all about reducing risk, right? And all that time without purposeful activities was not so stimulating for me. I remember being really bored as a kid, frequently and for interminable hooooouuuuuuurs.

[Anonymous]

I walked 6+ blocks to and from school in 2nd grade, crossing busy streets in the process, and walked to and from kindergarten by myself as well (shorter distance). I walked my younger brother home too at that age from the same school. And, at 8-9 years old, I'd let myself into our home and wait for my mom to get home from work. I really don't feel this was horrible at all.

I think all this overprotectiveness will be very negative for our kids and they'll have a hard time being responsible for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Everyone fretting about this should look at
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/

[Anonymous]

In Montgomery County, a child can be left in the house without an adult at 8 (with no younger kids in the house). I wouldn't do it, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I wouldn't let my third grader walk anywhere alone, not on my parents' cul-de-sac and not in my 'hood. How can that be ok if it's not legal to leave an 8-year old home alone?

I don't know--to me there is a difference between walking to and from school than staying home alone (I"m assuming for now we are talking about a nice enough neighborhood, relatively short walk). During the times right before and after school, at least in my neighborhood, there are tons of kids heading to/from the school. Sure, your child might be 8, but there are 9, 10, and 11 year olds likely headed in the same direction. For that matter, there are tons of moms walking to and from with the littler ones. On the other hand, once a child is home...then what? Will they lock the door? Will they think it's a good idea to cook up some mac n cheese for a snack? And then leave the stove on? Who knows? I guess my main point is, safety in numbers.

[Anonymous]

The odd thing is that I never really had to think about at what age would a child not need afterschool care because someone was always home at my house. My dad worked at night and my mom was a teacher so my house was never empty. Most of freinds parents, sometimes both of them were teachers so I just assumed growing up that everyone's parent's were home by 4pm. LOL!

Anyway, our children attend private school and they have an aftercare program. It's also not close to our home at all so until they can drive, I guess we will pick them up everyday from school. If I had to pick an age at when they wouldn't need afterschool care. I would say 7th grade for sure. But after that you had to worry about then sneaking their friends in the house when you said not to. LOL!

[Anonymous]

I think that the all of the overprotectedness is bad for kids. Abductions and other horrible things happened back in the sixties and seventies as well, they just were not focused on so much by the media like it is today - it creates a culture of fear and no one leaves the house or lets the kids play in the yard or even walk to their local playground. There was an interesting post in the WPost interactive section on helicopter parents and how many parents to today step in and intercede at the slightest problem. Kids aren't learning to fix mistakes themselves or learn how to solve problems because mom and dad do it for them.