Staying Home Alone
Sometimes, latchkey kids in the ‘70s were left alone at home even when their parents weren’t working. The parents would run errands or meet friends while their kids amused themselves. Now, there are strict guidelines about the minimum age at which a child can be left alone. Back then, neighbors might peek in occasionally, but there was little formal oversight or worry about what could go wrong.
Parents assumed kids would be fine as long as the doors were locked and emergency numbers were nearby, trusting them to handle boredom and minor mishaps.