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After all, at least when a child is a newborn, it's easy to keep an eye on him or her.
However, it's a sign of a good parent for one to worry a little bit, though excessive concern can be damaging for both the parental unit and the child.
One of the best ways to prevent this from happening is to arm oneself with actual information, and take proactive measures to ensure that your child feels safe and secure, and that you do, too.
One of the toughest times for parents growing up is when your child says that he or she is prepared to stay home alone.
Whether it's a trip to the movies or a dinner with friends, parents might find it difficult to relax knowing that their child is at home by themselves for the very first time, and might try to delay this by telling a son or daughter that they need to grow up a little bit.
The first thing to remember is there is no magical age to be ready for this.
Your child must feel safe and ready, and know how to do things like set the home alarm system or answer the phone without saying that no one is home.
For most children, the right age comes around 12, more or less.
If you're leaving your child home alone for the first time, you're probably a little freaked out about home security and their safety.
Instead of worrying yourself sick with what-if questions, take time to do something more productive.
Make an easy-to-read list of all of the numbers for friends and relatives, as well as emergency numbers for the police.
Put this list by the phone, and go over it with your child.
Also take care to express that the rules for being home alone are serious.
Make it clear that no one is to come over while you are not in the house, and also make it clear that it's best to stay indoors, with the home alarm system armed and ready.
This will provide peace of mind for both you and your child.
If after a couple of times staying home, he or she feels more comfortable, you can adjust the rules however you see fit.
Another difficult step for parents when their children are growing up is managing their time in the house while you're not there.
Suppose you have to be at work, but your child goes home and lets himself in, spending a couple of hours alone.
As your child grows and matures, it might be possible that he starts bringing home girls, too, or not going home when he is supposed to.
Some home alarm systems actually let their owners know when someone has keyed into the alarm panel, so this is one way to check and see if your child is actually at home.
Otherwise, you just have to instill that there will be punishments for breaking rules.
For the most part, this works surprisingly well on teenagers.
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