AREA SPECIALISTS EXAMINE SELF-CARE ISSUES AT FREE SEMINAR ON TUESDAY

When are children old enough to care for themselves at home?

On Tuesday, area families can hear the answer to that question and learn more about critical self-care issues at a free seminar entitled "Self-Care by Children: Issues and Trends."

The first-time program will be presented by Mary Gosche, human development specialist, and Susan Mills, food and nutrition specialist, of the University of Missouri Extension Center.

Sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital, the program will be held at Southeast's Outreach Services in Jackson from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Mills said the purpose of the seminar is to help parents assess whether or not their children are ready to stay by themselves for short periods of time.

"Not all children mature at the same rate," Mills said. "There's no magic age."

The seminar will be a two-part program. Gosche will speak on subject matter concerning a child's readiness to stay alone, and Mills will talk about kitchen safety tips and how younger children can prepare nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods.

"Many times when children are left alone, they get hungry," Mills said. "I don't recommend that children do any type of frying when they're home alone."

She said the risk for fire is great because the attention span of children is usually not very long.

During the seminar, she will focus on how parents can reduce hazards in the kitchen.

Mills also will address the issue of age-appropriate snacks. She said the preparation of snacks for older and younger children differs dramatically.

"For example, younger children prefer to have fruit cut in slices," Mills said, "whereas older ones can eat the whole fruit. Also, older children can heat up a snack, but younger ones might not know how.

"It's very frustrating and confusing for many parents because one minute a child seems so mature and logical, and the next moment the child becomes illogical."

Mills said parents and children will be addressed separately by both women at the seminar.

This particular program on self-care was planned because there has been a steady increase in the number of parents in the work force who can't be there when their children come home from school, Mills said. Also, many parents must work late in the evenings.

"Many children beg to stay by themselves," she said. "But just because they want to stay alone doesn't mean they're ready."

Gosche said before children are allowed to stay alone, they should prove that they're responsible in following family rules, being home on time, doing homework, and showing that they can avoid danger.

Also, they should be able to solve minor problems on their own and demonstrate an ability to know when a dangerous situation exists and when they need to call for help.

"We'll be brainstorming at the session about the positive and negative effects of children staying alone," Gosche said.

Besides avoiding the cost of day care, one benefit of staying alone is that children can enjoy time by themselves to pursue special activities, she said. Also, they might be encouraged to become more mature and independent.

Gosche said the risks involve both physical and emotional injury. Children left alone often experience numerous fears, and there is an increased chance of them being sexually molested.

"There's always a concern that children may get in trouble when they're alone," she said. "But the risk depends primarily upon the neighborhood and how ready the children are to deal with being alone.

"Normally, a child who is 9 or 10 or younger shouldn't stay alone, but that doesn't mean an 11-year-old should be allowed to take care of a child who is 6 years old."

If parents are in doubt, they should begin by leaving their children alone only for a short period of time, Gosche said.

Also, children need a support system, such as a safe neighborhood or a person they can call when they get home from school, she said.

"At the seminar," Gosche said, "we're going to teach the children house rules, good telephone skills and what to do when approached by a stranger.

"We'll be discussing with the parents how to make their home burglar-proof and how they should talk to their children about fears."

She said both parents and children will be given a home-safety quiz before the seminar.

Families who want to attend the seminar can pre-register by calling Southeast's Jackson Outreach Services at 243-5349. The office is located in the Heartland Center at 2106 Highway 61 East.