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Latchkey Kids
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"Latchkey Kid" is a term that came into existence during World War II. It was used to describe the large number of youth who were left without direct adult supervision. During this period of time, most Americans were involved in the war effort. Many fathers were in military service and many mothers went to work outside of the home to support their families and help our country win the war. As a result, there were fewer adults available to watch younger children. Is this still a problem in society today? For twenty years following the end of the war, America experienced a period of great economic growth. Jobs were abundant and wages were good. Fathers could financially support their families and mothers usually stayed at home with their children. The phrase "latchkey kid" was seldom used during this period. But for the past twenty years, however, the phrase has been born again. The number of children left without supervision is now increasing with every year. Family instability, single parent homes, and two working parent households are on the rise. More children have less supervision today than ever before. The growing number of latchkey kids and the rising number of problems children must face has created great concern among parents and other professionals. They have begun to seek answers to a number of important questions. What are the effects of leaving young children to care for themselves before they are emotionally ready? How can we ensure the safety of children who care for themselves? Only recently have these questions began to seek national attention. According to the U.S. Department of Labor ( Essence magazine ), 30% of mothers with children under age 13 allowed their children to stay home alone after school. However, only 1% of these mothers reported that they would leave their children in self-care if they had a choice. There are many reasons why this happens. The most common reason is employment. Single parents may have to work outside of the family for financial support. Two - parent families may need the extra income. In some cases, children are left unsupervised because their parents are pursuing other interests or goals, such as furthering their education. In other cases, children may find themselves alone because their parents are unable or unwilling to provide adequate care. Children in the last category are often referred to as abused or neglected youth.
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