Problems Associated with Latch-Key Kids

Information from Home Alone article at about.com/health: The National Institute on Out-of-School Time reports that children without adult supervision are at significantly greater risk of truancy from school, stress, receiving poor grades, risk-taking behavior, and substance use and the juvenile crime rate triples between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. These after-school hours prove to be the most risky time of day for middle school children. Childhood injuries are another factor. Facts compiled by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign reports that the vast majority of unintentional injury-related deaths among children occur in the evening hours when children are most likely to be out of school and unsupervised. Also, children are most likely to be victims of a violent crime committed by a non-family member between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The older and more mature a child is before being left alone, the better!