While it sounds like the name of a band your kids might like (actually it is), a latchkey kid is one who has to let himself in after school because no one is home. The term originated in 1944 when NBC coined the phrase in a documentary on this trend. It was increasingly common during WWII when one parent was serving the armed forces and the other worked. Since then, not much has changed in this department and many families don’t have the ability for one parent to stay home with the kids. And with today’s economy the way it is, this way of life isn’t going to change any time soon. 

According to a feature in The New York Times, most states do not have a law in place that says how young is too young to leave a child home alone. But Maryland does; and that age is eight.

Would you allow your eight-year-old to return home from school when nobody’s home?

Many parents feel it truly depends on the child. There are moms who feel their seven-year-old is “mature” enough to handle a home alone situation. But others feel their 10th grader isn’t even ready. In 2002, a Census survey reported 5.8 million children between the ages of five and fourteen were latchkey kids—home alone for a little over six hours a week—that’s about 15 percent. Sixty-five percent of those children spent two to nine hours home alone.

Aside from the dangers of strangers seeing children alone as easy prey, kids left to their own devices can be susceptible to behavioral problems and low self-esteem. And as they get older, peer pressure is a culprit to bad behavior, which could lead to drinking, smoking, and sexual promiscuity.

But some moms feel that if a kid is going to experiment, he or she is going to do that whether as a latchkey kid or not.

There are positive effects of being a latchkey kid, too. They feel the trust of their parents and this could lead to independence and self-reliance—great skills to learn as they grow older.

In an article on MSNBC.com from last year, “Today” contributor Dr. Ruth Peters confirms the large number of latchkey kids. “More than three million children younger than 12 years of age stay home alone at least part of each week, and an even greater percentage of teens fend for themselves on school days.” But she notes that house rules can help.

Cell phones weren’t around for the first batch of latchkeyers, but they are now. So if your children are home aloners, tell them to check in with you when they get home (have them leave a message if it goes straight to voicemail). You can assign your kids chores to keep them busy or just make sure they are keeping up with their homework. If you have open communication with your kids, this will help them want to earn and keep your trust. Dr. Peters suggests rules like telling them to not open the door for anyone and to let calls go straight to the answering machine unless your caller ID shows someone they can trust. You’ll also have to decide if you’re going to allow your kids’ friends over when no one is home. Remember, it’s your home, so everyone’s safety is still your responsibility. You may also want to make sure your kids have food to eat that doesn’t require the stove or oven.

While there are dangers, there are also upsides. Dr. Peters notes a study reported by the American Psychological Association says, “the success of latchkey kids depends more on what they are doing with their time after school, rather than the fact that you aren’t there for them. Kids who are allowed to hang out with friends without some form of adult supervision get into significantly more trouble than do those who are kept busy with homework and chores, especially if parents are checking in with them on a consistent basis via telephone.”

I think we can all agree that open communication, whether your child is a latchkey kid or not, is a key to a better relationship with your child.