Class to be offered for kids who may have to stay home alone

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – The Moline Parks and Rec Department is offering a class called “Safely Home Alone.” Linda Jones, the instructor and creator of “Safely Home Alone” says the class is focused on teaching children between 8 and 12 years old how to be home alone if they have to be.

“I speak and interact with the children for 40 minutes. At the end of the class, a first responder comes and reiterates the points that I’ve been talking about. I also give the parents a checklist, which gives them a guideline on are the children ready to be left home alone,” said Jones.

Jones saying during the 40 minutes, she takes kids through activities like what to say to 911 operator during an emergency or how make a quick snack if parents aren’t around.

Jones says another factor that motivated her to create the class is for parents like Brie Grubbs, who are faced with though choices of child care all the time. Grubbs says when she was a single mom 10 years ago, she caring for three kids, working and going to college, so she couldn’t be everywhere at once.

“So the only option I had was to leave her at home while I went to class, and it was generally two to three hours a day. Only happened a couple of times. I felt she was perfectly safe. I trusted her,” said Grubbs.

Despite making the decision to leave her child home she says she still did what she could to make sure they were safe.

“If their grandpa came over, or if I sent a friend over to the house to check on them, they would have to give the password. They’d knock. They’d say the word. The kids would know it was okay to open the door,” said Grubbs.

In Iowa, there is no age required for a child to be left alone but in Illinois, a child can be left alone at home at 14. Jones says when families attend her class, she gives them a checklist of things for parents to consider before leaving their child at home.

Jones says after giving classes for over a year, she says the feedback has been positive

“A dad came to me and said, I am so glad my older son took your class, because the little one was in the kitchen near the stove, and although the parents were home, the older child, who was probably eight, said to his brother, get away from the stove. That’s dangerous,” said Jones.

The next “Safely Home Alone” class will be offered Oct. 22