Know the Rules...After-School Safety Tips for Children Who Are Home Alone
Important points parents should consider prior to allowing their children to be unsupervised after school. In today’s busy society many children are caring for themselves before or after school. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 19 percent of kindergarteners through eighth graders spend time before or after school in self-care at least once a month (1). Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends adult supervision for children until about the age of 11 or 12, for many families this isn’t possible. When faced with this situation, maturity should be the determining factor in whether a child should be left alone (2).
