Newswise — When a family's routine is disrupted, as they tend to be during summer vacation, parents need to make decisions and put a program in place so all family members know what is expected of them, says a Purdue University child and family specialist.
Judith Myers-Walls, associate professor of child development and family studies, says the first decision parents must make is whether or not their child or children need outside care or can be left home on their own.
"This will depend on the child," Myers-Walls says. "Some children can stay by themselves at 9 years of age, but others may not be ready for a few years longer. It depends on how independent the child is and also on the safety of the neighborhood."
Other childcare options include partial-day programs and neighborhood watch. Additionally, one child may be put in charge, and he or she may need to be taught how to handle that responsibility. A general guideline is to put a child in charge who is at least four years older than the others, Myers-Walls says.
What's important is that there is a set of rules that help children in an emergency and will keep them safe. Children can be assigned tasks to help them understand those rules, such as locking the door and knowing who to contact in an emergency.
"Kids need structure," Myers-Walls says. "Parents need to find things that keep their children learning without going to school, while also recognizing that it's summer and they need a break."
She also says to remember to leave children nutritious snacks, such as "ants on a log" (celery sticks spread with peanut butter and dotted with raisins) or "spider pretzels" (crackers, peanut butter, stick pretzels and raisins).
"Kids like independence," Myers-Walls says. "Make sure to have fun things for them to do. And build up to a bigger event during the summer to give children something to look forward to."
The big event can be anything from a family trip to a lemonade stand or a play that gets the entire neighborhood involved, she says.
Related Web site:
Purdue Child Development and Family Studies: http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/cdfs/
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