Back to school time is a fun and exciting time of every year. In today’s economy, however, many stay at home parents have had to return to jobs outside of the house and their kids will, for the first time this fall, be on their own for a few hours after school.
If you find yourself in this situation, take heart. With a little thought and preparation you can insure that your child is comfortable and secure until you make it home from work. Follow the tips below to help create a smooth transition to this new way of life for you and your child:
Have Your Child Check In When Arriving Home – If you know how long it takes your child to get to and from school, you should have a pretty good idea of when to expect him or her to check in. A short phone call in which your child can hear your voice can supply the reassurance and moral support until you get home.
Establish an After School Routine – A brief list of after-school chores or, at least, an established order in which things should be done, will provide your child with structure and keep him or her from aimless moments, which can lead to mischief. For example, you may set a rule that prohibits watching television or playing video games until the dog has been fed and homework has been done.
Set Rules for Opening the Door and Answering the Phone - Set a strict policy about never opening the door of the house to strangers – even ones dressed in official capacities, such as firemen, policemen, or utility workers. Have your child phone you or a trusted, adult neighbor who’s at home if there is any question about opening the door.
If your child answers the phone while you’re at work, make sure that they never tell the caller you’re not there. Instead, instruct them to say that you’re busy at the moment or unable to come to the phone.
Prepare After School Snacks Ahead of Time – Most kids like to take a few minutes to unwind and have a snack when they get home from school. As kids get older – or just more precocious – they may try to prepare snacks themselves. Without the proper supervision, these culinary exploits could result in your child injuring himself or accidentally starting a fire.
Take a moment to set out your children’s after school snacks at the beginning of the week. If they require any sort of heating up or cooking (such as, microwave popcorn), make sure your child knows exactly which buttons to push on the microwave oven.
Also, occasionally unforeseen circumstances, such as inclement weather, bad traffic problems, or some unanticipated work issue might prevent you from making it home at your regular dinner time. Purchase some frozen dinners or set aside emergency pizza delivery money (for older children) so that they won’t have to resort to their own culinary devices to feed themselves.
Prepare a List of Emergency Phone Numbers – Provide your children with a list of phone numbers of people they can contact if you’re not available. Ideally, this list would consist of trusted friends, neighbors, and relatives who are nearby and can be reached during an emergency. Contact these people when you make the list to get an idea of their availability and willingness to serve as an emergency “lifeline” for your child.
You can also ad emergency and other frequently used numbers to the list, such as the Utility Company (in case of a power interruption) or your favorite pizza delivery service. Once the list is complete, place it in a prominent place in the house where your child can easily find it. If your child has a cell phone, you can also program the numbers directly into it.
If you already have an emergency phone number list, the beginning of the school year is the perfect time to update it and to touch base with your friends who are on it to see if they are still willing and available to be an emergency contact.
By following these simple suggestions, you can defuse a potentially stressful situation and help your child make the change to this new after school arrangement.
If you would like to take further steps to insure even more peace of mind, consider one of our Monitronics home security alarms. We can customize our home security systems to meet your specific needs, such as providing you with remote video access to your house or texting you as soon as your child walks in the door. Contact us today for more information: 800-447-9239.
