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to be by themselves and often left
to their own devices.
Why the Drastic Change
Latchkey child rearing began its
real growth during the last two
decades. Before tbat time, up to the
1950s, in most Western countries
family togetherness was considered
important, and children were rarely
Ieft borne alone. Books, magazine
ar ticles, television and the movies
extolled traditional religious moral
values, and emphasized family
togetherness.
But now, life in the 1980s has
drastically changed. Morals are dif–
ferent. Family togetherness is no
longer the priority. Concern for
children is waning.
Many young families are eco–
nomically strapped. In sorne cases
they are trying to maintain an
unrealistic standard of living. But
most are simply economically hard
pressed because of ever-rising costs
of living. Both parents feel forced
to work to make ends meet.
In America an estimated 50 per–
cent of mothers with children
between the ages of 3 and 6 work
outside the borne. And, of course,
most single parents must work. So we
find latchkey children proliferating.
Tragically, it is not at all uncom–
mon for children only 5 to be left
home alone. There are even
reported cases of Jatchkey children
as young as 3.
This is especially true where the
single parent or two-parent home
cannot find, or perhaps cannot afford,
proper
day-care centers or baby-sit–
ters to care for their children. And
unlike years ago, Granddad and
Grandmother or relatives tend to live
too far away to be of help.
Certainly, in most cases, Mom or
Dad gives them a Iist of dos and
don'ts. Perhaps they're given the
typical warning not to let anyone in
the house. And they are most likely
instructed whom to call in case of
emergencies. But honest analysis
should tell us this mode of child
rearing is unwise.
Basically Negative
Reality is, our modero latchkey
child-rearing trend, no matter what
the cause, is unhealthy. Vanee
Packard in his book
Our Endan–
gered Children: Growing up in a
34
Changing World
goes as far as to
label this latchkey age "anti–
child."
Sorne would say this label is too
harsh. But today's downplay of
family importance and family
togetherness has Jed to "latchkey
thinking," and it is a definite nega–
tive in child rearing.
Researchers confirm how nega–
tive Jatchkey child rearing is. A
recent study found that, depending
on the age of the child, latchkey
children often suffer deep loneli–
ness, terrible scare-filled anxieties,
as well as periods of boredom.
Jt is reported that sorne small
children experience recurring
nightmares and obsessive concern
for their safety because they've
been left home alone for long peri–
ods of time.
Analysts say latchkey children
are more likely to be involved in
accidents, fires, drug abuse and
j uvenile delinquency. These same
researchers say latchkey
children, when left home
without parental supervi–
sion and protection, are
more likely to do poorly
in school and be sexually
abused by older siblings
and chi ldr en, or even
adults.
On the other hartd,
sorne experts feel being a
latchkey chi ld may not
necessarily be so bad.
According to them the
experience encourages
"independence, responsi–
bility, street savvy and
pride." But let's look at
the big picture.
Problems a Natural Result
Worldwide, young people
in droves, most lacking
proper, needed parental
guidance and supervision,
have plunged into the
drug culture. As many as
75 percent of high school
and secondary school stu–
dents experiment with or
regularly use drugs. Jt is not at all
uncommon for grade school chil–
dren to pop pills, take various kinds
of drug trips or smoke marijuana.
Penal institutions are filled with
errant youths. For the most part,
they've gotten into troubJe because
they've lacked proper parental guid–
ance and supervision. They've been
latchkey children during major por–
tions of their growing years.
Teenagers' ability to be confi–
dent and trusting, to have affection
for their fami lies and be able to
master inner feelings and impulses,
has been on a steady decline since
the 1960s. That's made clear in a
U.S. survey of two groups of teen–
agers by psychiatrist Daniel Offer
and psychologists Eric Ostrov ar.d
Kenneth
l.
Howard.
Their published survey.
The
Adolescent: A Psychologic..
il
Self–
portrait,
compared a grot!p of 1960
teenagers to a group g!"owing up in
the l970s and 198üs. About 20
percent of the latter group reported
feeling empty emotionally, being
confused most of the time and feel–
ing they would rather die than con–
tinue living.
These children clearly lack
needed parental supervision and
guidance. That's not to say all
Jatchkey children get into trouble,
· and those with adequate parental
guidance and supervision do not.
But common sense should tell us
that the chances of Jatchkey chil–
dren getting into trouble or having
The PLAIN TRUTH