What Parents Worry About Most When Kids Stay Home Alone This Summer: No. 2 Is 'Earthquakes and Fires'—What’s No. 1?

BEST Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; CEO: Hirofumi Igarashi; hereinafter “the company”) resolves various household troubles, including lockouts, to provide optimal information and help build a society where people can live safely.

The company’s key trouble specialist service, “Kagi Otasuke Honpo,” conducted a nationwide survey of 229 men and women with children up to 6th grade, titled “Survey on Children Staying Home Alone and Crime Prevention Measures During Summer Vacation.”

Children’s long-awaited summer vacation is just around the corner. Amid rising numbers of dual-income households, more children are spending daytime hours alone at home during this approximately 40-day break.

However, long periods of unsupervised留守 pose many risks that are difficult for children to handle alone—such as responding to suspicious visitors, heatstroke from recent extreme heat, and forgetting to lock doors.

This survey uncovers what parents worry about most when their children stay home alone during summer break, reveals real-life household rules, and offers concrete safety measures from a locksmith’s perspective to protect children and give parents peace of mind.

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【Survey Overview】

・Target: Men and women nationwide with children up to 6th grade

・Survey Period: May 2026

・Survey Organization: In-house survey

・Survey Method: Internet-based voluntary responses

・Valid Responses: 229

Over Half Experience “First Solo留守” by 3rd Grade

When asked about the age when their child first stayed home alone, the most common response (excluding “not yet allowed,” 21.8%) was “3rd grade” (17.0%).

This was followed by “preschool age” (15.7%). Combined with “1st grade” (10.9%) and “2nd grade” (9.2%), over half of families allow their children to stay home alone by 3rd grade.

Nearly 1 in 5 Families Plan “3 or More Days per Week” of Solo留守

When asked how often their child will stay home alone during this summer vacation, “no plans” was the most common answer (80 responses, 34.9%).

Among families with留守 plans, “occasionally” (33.2%) was most common, followed by “1–2 days per week” (10.5%).

Combining “daily” (2.6%), “5 days per week” (5.7%), and “3–4 days per week” (9.2%), 17.5% of families plan routine留守 for more than half the week (3+ days per week).

Nearly Half Plan “3+ Hours” of留守 per Session

Among the 149 respondents planning to leave their children home alone, the most common daily留守 duration was “1–3 hours” (31.5%).

Combining “3–5 hours” (28.9%), “5–8 hours” (6.0%), and “8+ hours” (10.7%), 45.6% of families plan留守 sessions of 3 or more hours.

Over 10% involve “8+ hours,” highlighting the reality that many children spend most of the daytime hours alone during summer break.

Parents’ Top Concern: “Suspicious Visitors” (72.9%)

The most common parental concern when leaving children home alone was “suspicious visitors coming to the house” (72.9%), far surpassing other concerns.

This was followed by “earthquakes or fires occurring” (46.3%) and “children forgetting to lock the door” (35.4%).

Concerns about “heatstroke occurring indoors” (31.4%) also exceeded 30%, indicating that proper air conditioning use is a major parental concern.

“Not Answering the Intercom” Is Top Rule—But 1 in 5 Families Has “No Specific Rules”

When asked about safety rules set with children during summer留守, “not answering the intercom” (59.4%) was the most common, followed by “not opening the door” (54.6%).

Basic rules to avoid contact with strangers are widely enforced across households.

Next were “not going outside” (34.5%), “not using fire” (33.2%), and “not answering the phone” (24.5%)—concrete behavioral restrictions to prevent accidents.

However, 1 in 5 households (20.1%) responded “no specific rules set.”

This reveals that a significant number of families enter long holidays without establishing clear safety rules.

Locksmith’s Advice: 4 Ways to Keep Kids Safe During Summer留守

Based on the survey results, “Kagi Otasuke Honpo” introduces four ways to safely navigate summer留守.

1. Upgrade to a High-Security Lock

To prevent “forgetting to lock” or “losing keys”—common parental concerns—installing a smart lock with auto-lock functionality is effective.

Smart locks can be unlocked via smartphone, PIN, or fingerprint, eliminating the risk of carrying or losing physical keys.

Some models allow parents to remotely check and control the lock status from outside, giving both parents and children peace of mind.

2. Use Security Cameras to Deter Intruders

Suspicious individuals tend to avoid homes that appear difficult to break into—i.e., those with high crime prevention awareness.

Installing security cameras near the entrance or intercom can deter suspicious approaches or visits.

If installing a real camera is difficult, a dummy camera can also be effective.

Additionally, replacing a standard intercom with a video-recording model is a recommended security upgrade, especially if your home lacks a monitor-equipped intercom.

3. Do Not Answer the Intercom

While many families have the rule “do not answer the intercom,” some burglars use tactics like pretending to be inspectors to trick children into opening the door.

The golden rule is “do not respond at all (use the tactic of pretending no one is home).”

For cases where response is necessary (e.g., receiving pre-arranged deliveries), consider installing a smart intercom that allows parents to remotely respond via smartphone from outside.

4. Always Say “Tadaima!” Even When No One Is Home

Not only during留守, but also when a child returns home alone, they are vulnerable.

Therefore, teach children to check their surroundings for suspicious individuals before entering, and to always say “Tadaima!” (I’m home!) loudly when entering—even if no one is home—to avoid signaling that they are alone.