Empowering Independence: Preparing Your Child for Latchkey Success

This comprehensive guide offers essential tips and strategies for parents to ensure their children thrive as latchkey kids. From establishing routines to teaching safety measures and fostering responsibility, this book equips parents with the tools to set their children up for success when home alone. Help your child develop confidence, resilience, and self-reliance in a nurturing and supportive environment. 

All over the world, children are going home after school and spending time alone until their parents get home from work. This is what a latchkey kid is. The term came about because they have their own key, usually on a chain hung from their neck, to unlock their home each day when they’re done with school.

They typically have no adult supervision for two to three hours each evening while they wait for their parents to come home. There are more than four million grade-school-aged latchkey kids because there are a lot of dual-income parents and single parents in the workforce today. But this number is down from its high in the 80s when over half of all children were latchkey kids.

It’s very difficult to find affordable childcare for this age group. However, before you choose to let your child become a latchkey kid, there are many things to consider - such as the laws in your area, whether your child is mature enough, and your own financial and emotional situation.

Contents:

Latchkey Kids and the Law

Dangers of Being Latchkey

Benefits of Being a Latchkey Kid

Maturity Cues That Show Your Child Is Latchkey Ready

Explaining to Your Child What’s Happening

Reward Your Children for Good Behavior

Setting Up Your Emergency Contact Network

Setting Boundaries and Expectations for Your Child

Dealing with the Unexpected 

FREE Reward Chart for Preparing Your Child to Be a Latchkey Kid