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Home Alone
Is Your Preteen Ready?
By Kendeyl Johansen
Before leaving home, don't forget to discuss rules with your child. "I lock the door on my way out," says Elizabeth Hale of Quebec, mother of three boys. "They aren't allowed to answer the phone or the door. I don't want anyone to know they're home alone." Schmidt doesn't allow friends to visit unless it's prearranged, and her daughter can't go anywhere, even outside, unless given prior permission. "I tell her it's OK to tell a fib, like I'm in the shower or have my hands full with the baby," she says.
Pawel offers several suggestions for rules, such as requiring that your preteenager know how to fix low-danger meals. "Show them how to prepare meals without a stove to prevent fires," she says.
Powel also recommends no visitors, because experimenting with peers is tempting, and parents may be held liable for things that happen in their homes. "Don't forget to discuss obvious things like no smoking, drinking, girlfriends or boyfriends," she says.
Preteenagers should probably stay inside the house, but kids older than 13 may be allowed to go places as long as they let parents know where they'll be. If a home has caller ID, parents might allow children to answer calls from familiar callers, and Pawel suggests developing a signal, such as two rings, to notify kids that a parent is calling. Also, discuss how to identify a stranger and what to do if a stranger comes to the door.
