The kids are back in school for most of the day, but they still might beat many working parents home.
According to the Consumer Federation of America Foundation, as many as 12 million children between ages 5 and 13 are home alone at some time during the day.
''Children left at home alone are three times more likely than those under adult care to suffer from injuries or other harmful incidents,'' says David Oliver, executive director of Lowe's Home Safety Council, a nonprofit group founded by Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. But working parents can help their children avoid some dangers by teaching the ''Home Safety ABCs.''
MADD VIDEOS
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is spreading its message of underage abstinence in a teen-friendly way -- using celebrities, rock videos and fast-paced movie clips.
The Irving, Texas-based organization recently launched a multiscreen video program, called ''Fake ID,'' to reach students struggling with peer pressure to drink alcohol.
The video will be offered to thousands of high schools this academic year. Also, Chevrolet has donated 10 Suburbans featuring the ''Fake ID'' logo to transport multimedia equipment to campuses across the country.
Hosted by Zachery Ty Bryan, who appeared on the television show ''Home Improvement,'' the fast-paced presentation uses computer animation, special effects, music videos and clips from movies and TV to capture teens' attention. Actress Rachael Leigh Cook and Miss Teen USA 2000 Jillian Parry also appear, along with families of teens killed in alcohol-related accidents.
Details: www.madd.org .
LANGUAGE-AID VIDEOS
A baby's first steps aren't always taken on the ground. Young children take ''first steps'' in everything they do on the road to becoming an adult.
A new series of CDs from Living Language, a division of Random House, aims to teach newborns to 2-year-old toddlers second languages during an important phase of linguistic development. ''Baby's First Steps'' are available in Spanish, Italian and French.
The first of four sections focuses on rhythm and ''oohs'' for babies as old as 6 months; the second section is ''oohs and aahs'' for 6- to 12-month-olds learning the sounds of vowels and consonants; section three is called Words of Wisdom as 12- to 18-month-olds begin to speak words; and the fourth section on language is for 18- to 24-month-olds who are becoming aware that there can be two words for the same object.
A 64-page parent's guide is included with each CD to give an overview of a child's language development.
Details: (800) 723-3466 or www.loweshomesafety.org .
- From wire reports
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