When It's Just You After School (Part2)

Staying Safe

Knowing how to stay safe is just as important as knowing the family rules. Again, this is something you need to talk over with your mom, dad, or both of them. Go over safety rules for the kitchen if you'll be doing any cooking while you're home alone. It's a good idea to practice what you would do in a real emergency, just in case anything ever happens.

Kids who are home alone might worry that someone could break into the house and hurt them. The good news is that this is very unlikely. But keeping the doors and windows locked will help you to stay safe. Decide with your mom or dad what to do if the phone rings or if someone knocks at the door.

It's never a good idea to tell someone that you're home by yourself. And if you get home and the door is open, or a window's smashed, don't even peek inside. Instead, go to a neighbor you trust for help.

Other kinds of emergencies could come up, too, like a fire, or you or a sibling might get sick or hurt. Just in case, you'll want to know:

• how to dial emergency places

• your address and phone number

• the name, location, and phone number where your mom or dad works

• the name, phone number, and address of a trusted neighbor

• the name, phone number, and address of another emergency contact person, such as a grandparent or family friend

A Little Lonely

It's a good idea to talk with your mom or dad about how you feel about being home alone, especially if you feel lonely or scared when you're home alone. They might be able to give you some ideas or solutions that will make you feel more at ease. Maybe you can go home with a friend once a week or a neighbor can start checking on you. Sometimes a kid just isn't ready to stay home alone and other arrangements need to be made.

Keeping busy with homework, chores, and play can make your ‘home alone’ time go quickly. But you might find yourself wondering what to do next. The trick is to think about your choices ahead of time. You might even want to keep a list of stuff you like to do. Need some ideas to get you started?

• Read a book or magazine.

• Work on a hobby or try a new one.

• Listen to music, or play an instrument.

• Write a letter or an email or phone a friend.

• Write a story full of made-up adventures of what happened to you when you were home alone - and don't forget to give it a happy ending!