If it's a new experience, staying home alone can be frightening.Maybe your parents work late a lot, or maybe you get a call from your mom on the bus ride home saying she's going to be late.You will be alone at home for a while.Don't worry; with a few steps, you'll be able to handle the situation on your own.
Step 1: At all times, keep a key on you.
You should always have a house key on you when you're home alone.It's a good idea to keep it in a safe place, such as your wallet or inner pocket, so you don't lose it.You don't want to be locked out of the house when your parents are away.You should keep the key with you.Don't leave it outside of your house.Someone could find it and break into the house.It's easy for someone to grab the key if you put it on a piece of jewelry or outside a backpack.There is a security system in some houses.Whenever a window or door is opened, these go off.Make sure you know the code to disarm the system in your house.
Step 2: There is a list of trusted phone numbers.
You don't want to forget the number to call your dad if you lose your cell phone.Where you keep your key is the most important place to put the list.It is a general rule to have the phone number of your parents, trusted neighbors, and outside family in the area.They are grandparents, aunts and uncles.If you have more than one parent, you should have at least three other contacts that aren't that parent.
Step 3: You should have emergency money with you.
You may need to take public transport to get home, or you may have taken the wrong bus and need a taxi.You might need to use a payphone.If you ever use the money, make sure to replace it with something else, because the amount will probably be dependent on where you live.You should keep your money in quarters.You don't want to overpay a bus fare if you can use a payphone, but bills seem more convenient.Don't give too much money to yourself.Outside of the home, you may not want to carry more than five dollars.Ask your parents how much money you have.
Step 4: Plans should be made for meeting siblings.
If you have siblings who get out of school at the same time you do, you'll want to establish a meeting time and place with them so that you can get together as quickly as possible and then go home.If they participate in any activity, do the same thing.If your siblings don't know where they're supposed to meet you, you should make sure your parents are aware of the meeting space.If a younger sibling gets out of school earlier than you do and there isn't a place to wait for you, you can arrange for a trusted adult to pick them up.Some siblings would like to spend time with their friends after school.Establish a list of friends that you and your siblings can visit, and who you can't, with your parents.
Step 5: Establish a schedule.
If you have a plan in place for a typical day, it will make it easier for you and your parents.Take into account any extracurriculars you have, how much homework you get, and your siblings' activities as well.A basic schedule can be created around these.If you don't want to leave the home, set up a backup schedule.If you have any activities on your schedule that involve leaving the house, but you don't feel safe to do so, use the backup schedule and let a parent know.Inform anyone else that may be involved.They don't wonder where you are.
Step 6: Agree on the rules of the house.
Every family has different priorities.You will need to discuss this with your family.What should happen after you get home from school?All basic house rules should be discussed and agreed on.Some examples of questions to ask your parents.After getting home and locking the door, what should be done?Do you have to do certain chores?Are you allowed to make calls on the cell phone?Do you pick up the phone if you don't know the number?Do you answer the doorbell to everyone or only certain people?Do you not answer the door?Are you allowed to leave the house?What is the furthest place you can go?When your parents aren't home, what websites are you allowed to use?Younger siblings can use websites.How much time is spent on electronics?Are you allowed to have your siblings with you?What is the time limit for using electronics before the other sibling gets to use it?What things are not allowed in the house?Your parents might approve of you using the microwave, but not the stove.What's the latest on your homework?
Step 7: Take a picture of your home.
It's important to map out areas where you might need things because you probably know your home very well.Make a map of your house, place anything you need in an agreed-upon spot that you or a sibling can reach, and keep the list pinned somewhere in case of emergencies.If you know where the following things are in the house, you can mark them on the map.Emergency supplies include flashlight, battery-powered radio, batteries, money, and so forth.There is a way to escape the house in case of danger.
Step 8: Take a picture of your neighborhood.
It's important to map out your neighborhood as well.You might want to map out the whole route you take if you walk home.If you're allowed to leave your house after your home, or if you have to in order to get to an activity, it's important to know what a safe zone is.Map out your neighborhood with the following places in mind: Your home, trusted neighbors, and places you may need to get to.Public places that are safe for you to use if you need to walk a significant distance to your house can be found in a field or park.
Step 9: Have a backup plan.
Being caught unprepared can be dangerous if things go wrong.Discuss with your parents and neighbors what to do in an emergency.Some questions may serve as inspiration for you to go over with your parents.If the house is unsafe when you arrive, where do you go?The window is shattered or the house smells of gas.Who is the school's emergency contact?If there's an emergency at school and your parents can't get off work to pick you up, make sure that you have a designated adult who can take you.What are the procedures for earthquakes, tornadoes, or severe storms?In case of a power outage, what should you do?If a sibling doesn't come home at an agreed time, what do you do?A sibling coming home five minutes late isn't a big deal unless it's dark.What is the maximum amount of time that you can wait before contacting your mom or dad?Do you know if your dad is fifteen minutes late?Who do you call if you aren't contacted?Is "pick up the phone" an emergency signal?If you only call a parent one time, it's not an emergency, but if you call twice in a row, you know it is.
Step 10: Don't forget to keep your cell phone on at all times.
You will want to have your phone with you no matter where you are.You stay home on your own if you don't have a cell phone.If school policy says you can't have it on during school hours, make sure it's turned on after school and not silenced, so that you hear calls or texts.You want to make sure that your parents can reach you.If you're alone, you may not be able to call your parents or emergency services if your phone is dead.Just in case, bring a spare phone charge to school.Don't use your phone or listen to music in public.Playing on your phone or listening to music can distract you from what's going on, which can make you a target for bad people who want to hurt you.You may end up missing the bus because you didn't notice it was there.
Step 11: If necessary, meet up with siblings.
Before you go home, you should meet up at an established meeting place.Before you leave without your siblings, check with siblings that are the same age or older.A sibling of a similar age to you may want to stay at school longer.Plan around it by taking this into account.If your sibling is disabled, don't leave them behind.Pick them up when they're done with their activity if you wait for them.Someone in a wheelchair or crutches may have trouble defending themselves or taking certain routes home, and a sibling with Down Syndrome may not understand that strangers may want to hurt them.If you have to stay late at school or participate in a club, make other arrangements for younger siblings so that they're not waiting alone or going home by themselves.
Step 12: When you get home, tell your parents.
Send a text message to your parents when you get home.If they work an extremely demanding job or are in a meeting, don't call them unless they've told you to; calling can be disruptive.Immediately after you get home, lock the door.You don't want to get caught up in getting home that you leave the door unlocked.
Step 13: You should keep yourself safe when you get home.
You don't want to leave your safety to chance.Ask your parents if anything new comes up when they get home if you stick to the house rules.Taking a chance with safety is not a good idea.All doors and windows should be locked.When you leave the room, close the window and stay in the same room as the open window.Young siblings should not be left alone in the home.If your brother won't go with you to hang out with a friend, stay with your sibling.Younger children may get hurt or cause a problem because they don't mean to.The stove needs to be turned on and left on.
Step 14: Be responsible.
You have to prove to your parents that you are responsible enough to stay at home without an adult watching you.It's a good idea to take care of basic responsibilities at home when your parents aren't around.Your parents will be proud of you if you go above and beyond.Do your homework when it comes to responsibility.You don't have to finish it, but do what you can.When you've finished, help any younger siblings with their homework.Clean up after yourself.Put the game pieces back where you found them if you're playing a game.Throw the garbage in the trash and clean up spills if you eat a snack.You should not leave a mess for your parents to clean up.Young siblings should be kept out of trouble.Do your best to know where your sibling is in the house, even if you can't.You don't want a younger sibling to turn the stove on or knock down something dangerous if you keep them away from household dangers.
Step 15: Stay up to date.
It's important to be able to notice if something isn't right.Don't freak out if you hear the cat jump to the floor, but put on your headphones and drown out the noise.If you're awake and alert, you can notice that something isn't right.If you can't focus without music or ambient noise, play your music quietly on a speaker.If it irritates any siblings, close your door and make sure you can still hear over it.
Step 16: In case of injury or illness, know what to do.
Accidents can happen when working on a science project or when climbing a tree.You or a sibling might get sick from time to time, and it's quite common.In case of any of these situations, be sure to know what to do and where medical supplies are kept.If you have younger siblings, you may want to take a babysitting course.These classes teach how to save a life in an emergency and can also be done on your own.Ask your parents if they have any classes for you.If you or any siblings are badly injured, you should call emergency services and let your parents know.Your parents will want to make sure you're okay if you text them.
Step 17: If someone tries to hurt you, have a plan.
There are people in the world who want to hurt girls.If you ever find yourself in a bad situation, you'll want to know how to stay safe.Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to hurt you.You should keep your wits about you.Make sure you know basic skills for bad situations, such as how to call emergency services, texting if it's unsafe to do so, and using a payphone if you can't use a cell phone.Know how to stop someone from taking you to a place you don't know, and what to do if someone follows you home.If you need to fight back, you may want to learn self-defense techniques.Consider a martial arts class for self-defense.If you have siblings, make sure they know these skills as well.They can't learn self-defense overnight, so make sure to go over emergency procedures with them and that they know to avoid strangers.You don't want your siblings to get hurt if you steer them away from a bad stranger.