Safety Tips For The Parents Of Latchkey Children
To maintain living standard and financial health of the family, often both the parents have to work. These days working hours are long and travelling from home to office and from office to home takes a lot of time. As a result of this, after school, children have to be at home alone. This sometimes results in lack of proper guidance for the children. The following simple rules should be observed to ensure that your child is attended to during your absence. It is also essential for the child to know the reason why you have to be away from him due to work to earn money to provide him all necessities.
If possible take the help of nanny or a babysitter. While selecting one it is essential that those supplied by professional agencies should be preferred. Those recruited through the agencies are often better trained and their credentials have been checked by the agency or police. Be clear to tell the person employed about your expectation from him or her and the child in your absence.
It is essential to lay down strict rules for the child and the sitter, if employed. The child should be repeatedly told about the rules to be followed. There should be a fixed time to study, play and eat. Child should devote fixed time for homework and should not waste time sitting here and there or watching TV or playing. Watching TV is a necessary evil. Ensure that your child does not watch undesirable programmes. These days TV sets with child lock facility are available, if possible manage one.
Similarly, it is essential to keep a tab on the internet sites visited by the child. Regularly monitor web history on the browser, if you have reason to believe that the child is watching unwanted content make arrangement to block such sites, again for this software’s are available. Check for latchkey programs. If the school provides for distant education on computer where child can get instructions from teachers while at home get it connected.
Ensure to call your child at home on land line number, this way you will ensure that the child is at home. Whenever possible make a surprise visit to your home to ensure that the child is following the schedule. Be very strict in enforcing rules laid down by you. Be sure that the child knows about safety measures available in house, these will include fire fighting equipment, locking and alarm system, telephone numbers of police and city administration.
The most important thing is when at home on holidays ensure not to spend the whole time attending to household matters. Spend maximum possible time with the child and involve the child in your work.