Busy parents frequently have to leave their children home alone for a few hours after school—and they worry about their kids’ safety. Here are some guidelines for protecting them when you’re still at work:
• Don’t make rules for every moment. Set rules only for the really important things: not letting strangers into the house, behavior when friends come over, safe activities, and the like.
• Keep rules visible. Write them down and post them in your kids’ rooms and in the kitchen so they’re easy to remember.
• Get the kids’ input. Rules are more enforceable, make the most sense, and are more likely to be followed when kids have a say.
