Keeping them safe when home alone

I am a single mother and I work full-time. My 13-year-old son will soon be off from school on summer vacation. What can I do to make sure that he is physically and emotionally protected during the hours that he is home alone?

There’s no doubt about it — a supervised home is preferable. However, work does not always allow it. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to help ensure the safety of your children when they are home alone.

The following advice typically applies to children ages 11 and up. Children who are younger than 11 require supervision at all times.

First, on the way home from summer activities, children should keep their house keys hidden. Do not permit your child to experiment with different routes between these activities and your home. Walking home with friends or a trusted adult is preferable. Once your child is home, he should check-in by telephone so that a responsible adult knows that he or she has arrived home safely.

Establishing a daily schedule to ensure that your child has something to do during his or her time at home is very important. Boredom often precipitates trouble. Provide some kind of entertainment such as a puzzle or art materials or even simple chores. You may also want to keep some healthy prepared snacks around.

Post your emergency contact numbers by the phone and make sure your child knows what to do and who to reach in case of an emergency. Do a few practice run-throughs.

Also, post house safety rules regarding the use of appliances and answering the door and telephone. Children should not answer the door for strangers and should not admit to being home alone over the telephone.

Although the tips above should help, keep looking for ways to provide your child with supervised care. Perhaps there is a local recreational organization or summer program you can tap into.

Some children may have fears about staying home alone and need an adult to answer their questions and concerns. Talk with your children about staying home alone and make sure they are comfortable with the situation.

Finally, it is important to spend some time together each day. Your love and attention cannot be replaced.

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Family Speech Center

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FlexSchool

<p>Our mission is to provide an engaging learning experience in a supportive environment where students are free to explore their passions, embrace their challenges and find a community of teachers and friends who understand and accept them as they are.</p> <p>Academics:</p> <p>To meet the unique needs of gifted and 2e learners – students who may have co-occurring learning challenges along with their gifts – we provide a gifted-level curriculum with built-in scaffolding, developed by credentialed experts in both gifted education and special education, as well as subject-area experts. Small, discussion-based classes ensure our students can engage in stimulating conversation with intellectual peers while receiving individualized attention and support.</p> <p>Talent Development and Experiential Learning:</p> <p>Central to our program is our strengths-based, interest-based approach to learning. All FlexSchool students pursue personal passion projects and choose from a diverse menu of enrichment activities and electives designed to support exploration and talent development. Our signature FlexFriday experiential learning program provides essential connections between classroom learning and the real world.</p> <p>Executive Functioning and Learning Support:</p> <p>All FlexSchool students have access to an extensive range of accommodations, including breaks as needed, daily executive functioning support, flexible seating, extended time, assistive technology and more. Learning Specialist support is available on every FlexSchool campus.</p> <p>Social-Emotional Learning and School Counseling:</p> <p>Our caring team of certified school counselors, under the guidance of a consulting psychologist, provide robust social-emotional learning and social pragmatics programming. Students are welcome to visit the school counselor at any time – no appointment necessary. FlexSchool counselors also maintain a collaborative relationship with parents and outside providers.</p> <p>Rolling admissions:</p> <p>We understand that student needs don’t always neatly align with the academic calendar, so FlexSchool admits students on a rolling basis. To learn more, join FlexSchool founder Jacqui Byrne live via Zoom for a Virtual Open House. To receive a call from our admissions team, inquire online, email us at [email protected] or call 908-279-0787.</p>