Avera Medical Minute: Preparing kids for summer independence

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The school year is coming to an end and it might be time to expand your kid’s responsibilities at home. Twila Perkinson, an Avera Family Life Educator, says a good place to start when considering this conversation is identifying the house rules. “As parents start to plan for the inevitable, it’s not a certain age on a timeline,” Perkinson said. “It’s usually the responsibility level of that kid, someone who knows the house rules, and what the expectations will be.” A way to ease into this new territory could be trying a 2-3 hour trial run to make sure everything is okay and everyone knows what they need to do. It is also important to know that kids will need to eat, so understanding how to safely prepare meals is also a top priority. Planning for emergency scenarios such as weather and unexpected visitors should also be part of the conversation. Avera also offers home-alone classes that will cover all of these basics and responsibilities.

Copyright 2023 KSFY. All rights reserved.