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Back to School Safety: Keeping Latchkey Kids Off Drugs
If job responsibilities and longer work hours keep parents from being home with their children immediately after
school, they can still monitor their kids' activities during this critical time.
Seven and a half million children in the United States between the ages of 5 and 14 are latchkey kids, according to
the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time. Research confirms that kids are less likely to get into trouble when a
responsible adult is watching them. In a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, researchers found that
eighth-graders who are unsupervised more than 10 hours a week are about 10 percent more likely to try
marijuana, and twice as likely to smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol as eighth-graders who are unsupervised zero
hours per week.
For parents who can't be home with their kids after school, Dr. Phillippe Cunningham, a research scientist at the
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, suggests taking the following
actions:
- Make every effort to ensure that your child is spending time in constructive, adult-supervised activities
such as sports, jobs, clubs, day care, after-school programs, or religious youth groups. If your
kids have to be at home, make sure they are working on homework or doing chores - not hanging out with friends.
- At all times, know where your children are, who they are spending time with, and how you can reach them.
- Have your kids check-in with you at regular intervals. Give them change, a phone card, or a beeper with clear
rules about using it (e.g., "When I beep you, I expect a call back within five minutes.").
- Randomly check that your kids are where they say they are.
- Take advantage of the time that you and your child spend together. Even if you don't get home from work until
fairly late at night, try to spend the rest of the evening in meaningful conversation with your child.
- Know what your kids are watching on television and searching for on the computer.
- Establish clear rules about drug use. Tell your kids you expect them not to use drugs - ever.
- Dr. Cunningham adds, "The more parents and communities do to ensure that children and adolescents are
involved in worthwhile activities, the better we can prevent most kinds of youth behavior problems."
- For more information on how to keep your kids from using drugs or alcohol, visit the
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign online
parenting resource. This site provides tips to help parents initiate and sustain an ongoing dialogue about drugs
and allows parents to download a brochure titled "Parenting Skills: 21 Tips and Ideas to Help You Make A Difference."
This brochure also may be ordered by calling (800) 788-2800.
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Reprinted with permission from ARA. Visit STOP Sex Offenders for more child safety information!
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