Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 10, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba Home alone safety officials warn against leaving kids alone without a plan of action by Marlene Habib t Oronto a despite the hilarious adventures of a Young Macaulay Culkin in the movie Home alone leaving youngsters to fend for themselves is no laughing matter. A growing number of the 2.1 million Canadian kids Between Ages to and 14 Are left on their own before or after school while parents slug their Way Home from work or run errands and this raises safety issues warns Emile Therien of the Canada safety Council. Therien does no to know How Many kids in that age group Are left Home alone. But he said the Council is considering a study to determine a figure because its become so common. A a it a a safety Issue a i he Rien said in an interview from his Ottawa office. A we want to assure parents though that if they do the right things things for the better can with Christmas looming and shopping and other activities on the Rise the safety Council has issued a warning a parents and other adults need to keep tabs on school age children directly or indirectly. A whether they Are six or 16, school age children need to be supervised by a responsible adult. If you can to be there in person when your child gets Home from school find a Way to give him or her the feeling of being supervised a Therien said following the launch of a new safety Council Booklet at Home on my own which helps parents develop an at Home plan with kids. Youngsters too old for Day care but too Young to be on their own for Long periods have been called a Latchkey kids because of the once com Mon practice of wearing the House key on a Chain around the neck. But times have changed. The Latchkey phrase has become outdated because it made parents feel guilty say safety officials. There Are More double income families and working single parents and fewer affordable after school programs without waiting lists a factors says Therien that have contributed to kids being on their own. Instead of just ensuring kids have their House keys parents Are also equipping them with cellphones and pagers to keep in touch. Therien notes that the age at which children can legally be left at Home alone for Short periods of time varies from province to province from to to 12 years. A 1999 report by health Canada found that parents request Home alone courses for children As Young As Grade 3. Age alone does no to determine if a child is ready to go Solo warns Therien adding that unsupervised teens can sometimes get into More trouble than younger children. Carole Deavey an Ottawa office worker says she has been trusting her 13-year-old son to be alone for Short periods since he was to because a a he a pretty mature and he a dependable. A i also know he get into any trouble and he knows the House rules and is pretty Good at following Deavey or her partner Are usually Home before 4 30 p.m., so her son is on his own for just Over an hour after a school bus drops him off. A we have a routine we do every Day a he Calls me As soon As he gets Home we go through How his Day was at school he does any Homework he has and has a snack. Now that he solder he a allowed to go to a friends House As Long As i know where he but As foolproof As a plan is there can be glitches. For instance Deavey recalls one Day when her son did no to make that routine Call to her at work. She called the school and found out he was still there because his teacher kept him late. To avoid future worries Deavey asked the school to Contact her at work if he is Ever kept after school again. At Home on my own helps children understand How to prevent problems handle certain situations and keep safely and constructively occupied when adults Arentt around. The 13-Page Booklet is available through the Council by calling 613-739-1535, or try the web site . It features the cartoon character Latch Turner a pre teen who a left at Home when his parents Are at work. A cartoon with Latch and his cat Click emphasizes several Points a that kids should always carry House keys with them that they should Call mom or dad when they arrive Home from school and that they should never answer the door. Therien suggests that parents who Are thinking about giving their kids Independence do test runs go out for just a few minutes return and then speak to the kids about their experiences. Then parents can increase the amount of time out. The Booklet encourages parents to do a Home alone safety audit with their kids and set up House rules. A few things to think about i locks should be secured on All windows and doors there should be working smoke alarms on each level of the House and kids should know escape plans in Case of fire. A safety kit should be within easy reach with first Aid supplies and a working flashlight. I kids should know How to Contact an emergency backup person like a Neighbour or nearby relative. Canadian pres what to do protocol for kids staying Home alone from the Canada safety Council s at Home on my own Booklet when there s a phone Call i pick up the phone Only if its someone you re allowed to talk to. Of you done to have a display phone which shows the number arrange a secret signal a for example caller rings twice then hangs up and Calls Back immediately. The rest of the time let the phone take a message. Limit conversations to five minutes or less. I of you answer the phone and someone asks for a Parent say a they can to come to the phone right take a message. When you get Home i Call a Parent As soon As you get in to say you re Home. I eat a healthy snack. I look at your list of things to do. When your friends invite you Over say i Quot i can to leave Home until my Parent gets i til ask my Parent maybe i can come Canadian pres when the holidays Arentt so merry done to try to deny it by Korky Vann Are you grieving the loss of a loved one this Holiday season is someone in your family sick or in a nursing Home Are you no longer Able to do your traditional seasonal activities experts say people experiencing such losses often face the holidays with feelings of dread and anxiety rather than Comfort and Joy. But its possible to Cope with these feelings. First done to expect a Kodak picture perfect Holiday in spite of the losses in your life. Chances Are that a not going to happen says Julian Ford a clinical psychologist on the faculty of the department of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut health Center in Farmington. A look at your Holiday expectations in a realistic manner. Otherwise you simply set yourself up for disappointment a Ford says. A if a spouse or close Friend has died if your family is far away or your circumstances have changed significantly acknowledge that things Are just not going to be the same. Give yourself permission to experience the grief that is a natural part of next remember that even if everyone around you is in High spirits and you re not done to think you Are alone and done to try to hide your feelings. Even that perfect television family the Waltons Ford notes had to maintain a cheerful front Only for an hour. Accepting and acknowledging loss does no to mean dwelling on it. Remember that accepting and acknowledging loss does no to mean dwelling on it. Remember that depression feeds on isolation. Depression feeds on isolation. Plan to spend time and do special things with others whether its family friends or even a beloved pet. A the holidays Are about sharing love and Faith with others a Ford says. A when the old traditions done to work find ways to adapt them or create new ones. When family Isnit around get together with friends or in other words focus on the things you can do rather than the things you can to. If you re no longer Able to put up and decorate a full size tree get a Tabletop size tree. If you can to handle the stress and Strain of cooking the entire Holiday meal on your own Tell the family its going to be a potluck Christmas this year. Instead of entertaining a big crowd have a few friends Over. If a spouse or loved one is in a nursing Home find out if there Are special Holiday meals or worship services scheduled that family members can attend. Develop Holiday ceremonies that honour the memory of those who have died. Lastly Ford says take care of yourself physically. Celebrate in moderation get plenty of rest eat a healthy diet and remember to exercise. A number of Community organizations and social service agencies offer support groups and workshops to help people fight depression during the holidays. Check with your Church or senior Centre to see if they have any programs. A the Hartford courant ;