Another post got me to thinking about this subject. Do your kids have a key to the house in their backpack? Do your kids know what to do if they get home from school and there is no one at home? If not, at what age do you think that you would give them a key and make an emergency plan?
Those of you that are SAHMs and insist that you are always home, what happens if there is a serious emergency and you have to leave quickly to go to the hospital or something along those lines? Yes, this really happened in my family. You really do need to have a back up plan and a secondary back up plan, at the very least. I know that you can't plan for everything, but you shouldn't count on always being able to be there when school lets out either.
my dd doesn't have a key cuz she is always picked, if not by me or my dh but by her friends mom (we do a carpool thing)
Mine doesn't, the driver won't let him off the bus if its just him and he doesn't see an adult. He does know that if for whatever reason he is outside and can't get inside he's supposed to go next door and the neighbor will call me. My niece is living with me now and the driver will let them both off the bus without seeing anyone but he doesn't drive off until he sees that they are inside.
When he is older, like 9 or 10 I will make sure he has a key just in case but I still prefer that he go to the neighbors if no one is home. Because of the situation with me and his dad he will get a cell phone as soon as he proves he can keep up with it which should be in the next couple of years so that's an added protection as well.
They don't have keys, but this is a good thing to think about. We had a contingency with all of the kids from kindergarten on-- the plan was if for some reason I wouldn't be home when they get home which was that they would go next door to my in-laws' house. My FIL is a shut-in on Hospice and my MIL rarely goes anywhere since she doesn't drive anymore so they are always there. If they would be unavailable for some reason there are several neighbors they could try.
And our plan got put to the test last year after 6 years of never needing it- and failed! *sigh* My oldest broke his wrist and couldn't get on/off the bus so I was driving them every day (they are usually bus riders). On the second day my youngest (1st grade) forgot to leave with the walkers (which you do if you are being picked up in a car) and he got on the bus. When I finally figured out what had happened he was already home!!! I got home and found him crying in the drveway. :-( It was spring and there were swarms of bees and he couldn't get over to my in-laws or neighbors. So, that plan failed. :-( I guess they really should have keys! It was just a "perfect storm" kind of situation that day.
Idk when they will get them, or we will make a plan.. we will see when we move in 2.5yrs I guess..
Quoting SahmTam:They don't have keys, but this is a good thing to think about. We had a contingency with all of the kids from kindergarten on-- the plan was if for some reason I wouldn't be home when they get home which was that they would go next door to my in-laws' house. My FIL is a shut-in on Hospice and my MIL rarely goes anywhere since she doesn't drive anymore so they are always there. If they would be unavailable for some reason there are several neighbors they could try.
And our plan got put to the test last year after 6 years of never needing it- and failed! *sigh* My oldest broke his wrist and couldn't get on/off the bus so I was driving them every day (they are usually bus riders). On the second day my youngest (1st grade) forgot to leave with the walkers (which you do if you are being picked up in a car) and he got on the bus. When I finally figured out what had happened he was already home!!! I got home and found him crying in the drveway. :-( It was spring and there were swarms of bees and he couldn't get over to my in-laws or neighbors. So, that plan failed. :-( I guess they really should have keys! It was just a "perfect storm" kind of situation that day.
Ugh! That would have made my heart stop. It is funny how you try to plan for an emergency and when it finally happens, the plan doesn't work or the kids forget the plan.
We learned this lesson when my sister and I were in HS. My pap had a heart attack and my mom was with grandma at the hospital. Sis and I got home and the house was locked. We sat on the backporch for awhile and then decided to break into the house. Let's just say that we got house keys and my parents really began to think about security since teens were able to get in without breaking any windows. lol
Mine is in 3rd grade. At this point it is legal in our state for him to be by himself. He has a key attached to his backpack. He has let himself in. Once in first grade I was late getting home and he was on the porch waiting. This is better. We went over an emergency plan. Our cell phones are posted on the refrigerator. If he gets home and there are no adults, then he is supposed to call until he gets someone.
My confession!
- steelcrazy
on Jan. 28, 2013 at 9:56 AM