HOME ALONE: PARENTS FINDING OPTIONS TO LEAVING THEIR CHILDREN IN AN EMPTY HOUSE

No cooking. Don't open the door, even if you're sure of who's on the other side. Don't answer the telephone.

These are rules Alecia, 12, has followed for nearly two years since she began staying home alone after school until her parents return from work.

"I don't do much, really," said Alecia. "I just watch television or do my homework."

Alecia is one of many latchkey children who go without adult supervision in the late afternoon hours. The phrase "latchkey children" originated in the early 1800s when children who were responsible for their own care wore keys to their home on a string around their necks.

The strings have been replaced by more modern lanyards and decorative key rings, but school officials said latchkey children have become prevalent as more and more parents and heads of household enter the workforce.

"I don't know of a whole bunch of people who had the luxury of their parents being home after school," said Cape Girardeau police Cpl. Rick Schmidt, who encountered many latchkey children during his years as a patrolman. "You'd be surprised the youngsters who have a maturity level above and beyond what you would expect."

Although 13 is considered the age when most children are mature enough to be left home alone, Missouri has no law that specifically addresses the issue.

Lynne Cairns, director of the Division of Family Services in Cape Girardeau County, said parents who leave children under the age of 8 alone in circumstances that might result in physical injury or death can be charged with child abandonment.

And DFS investigates all reports of unsupervised children to judge if they are being neglected. In an investigation, officials would ask questions to determine whether children understand safety rules and how to respond to emergencies, and if there is an adult they can contact if they have questions.

"It depends on a child's maturity and sense of responsibility and their common sense," said Cairns. "It's all those things taken into consideration and the length of time they'll be left alone."

Promoting safety

In addition to protecting their children from problems within the household, parents said they also must ensure their children are not harmed by predators who know they are home alone.

Several parents said they forbid visitors of any kind when their children are home alone, including schoolmates or family friends.

"You just never know what can happen these days," said Alecia's mother, one of several parents who didn't want to use their names in the story in order to protect their children. "When she first started doing it, I would call home several times just to check on her. Now I may call her just once to make sure everything's OK."

Chris Muench, school resource officer at Louis J. Schultz School, said 15 students in a class of 26 recently told him they remained home alone at least once each week. And of the 15 latchkey children, the vast majority are home alone more than three times weekly.

"Most of them felt real confident they could handle the experience based on the fact they knew the parent would be home in a short period of time," said Muench. "That's where everything comes together that the parents teach and we teach as far as communicating with strangers, receiving strange phone calls, and safety in general."

Muench said he often works in classrooms discussing safety with students. Whether he's talking about gang resistance, first aid, or substance abuse education, it all focuses on teaching students to make good choices.

"We hope that all comes into play about this age," he said. "That's their big test and we hope they're using it."

Alternatives to home alone

Police and DFS officials said they have seen few problems with children staying home unsupervised. In some cases, the lack of a problem is because parents find alternatives to leaving their children alone.

For example, most larger child care centers in the area provide after school care for children up to age 12. And increasingly, schools and social service agencies are developing academic and recreational programs to bridge the gap between the time school ends and parents come home from work.

"School-aged children need to be supervised, they need a safe place to be," said Jo Boyer, who provides technical assistance to after-school programs in the region through a grant operated by Southeast Missouri State University.

"This gives them an alternative to staying at home and doing nothing or going out and getting into trouble."

Cairns said parents should talk with their children before making any decisions to leave them unsupervised. DFS provides assistance paying child care expenses for eligible families, and pamphlets are available to help parents evaluate their children's readiness to go without adult supervision..

AT HOME -- ALONE

There are no Missouri laws that regulate the age when children can be left at home without supervision. Law enforcement and social service officials recommend parents consider the maturity of a child, his or her knowledge of family rules, and his or her ability to understand when to use safety procedures and the reasoning behind their use.

These tips can help parents make decisions regarding whether a child is ready to stay home alone for any length of time:

Safety for latchkey KIDS

Parents should conside:

* Age readiness

* Definition of parental "rules and expectations"

* Access to parents or other adults (e.g. phone numbers)

* Safety of children in unsafe situations (e.g. medical emergencies, fire, alcohol, drugs, strangers, guns, etc.)

* Messages and how to answer the phone or doorbell

* Use of phone

* House guests and rules for friends and visitors coming to the house

* Responsibilities for siblings

* Use of unstructured time (e.g. watch television, videos, etc.)

* Access to "adult" cable or other materials

5 P's of Parenting

* Protect your children from situations that are beyond their abilities.

* Prepare your children with information and skill-building activities.

* Practice skills with your children while you supervise them.

* Prompt your children with reminders to use what they have learned.

* Preview new situations where children may need modified or increased skill and allow for additional supervised practice.

Sources: www.parentsplace.com; American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry