Latch-key kids are becoming as American as apple pie. Whether this is a good thing or not, millions of children are home alone after school. The up-to-date term for this is self-care, and the old term described those children easily identified by the key hanging from a string around their neck.

Self-care can work just fine. But parents need to:
1) prepare the child,
2) set up some strict rules involving safety and school work,
3) pay attention to the child's feelings.

Check to see that chores and homework got done.
Ask your child each day what happened and talk about the "day" each of you had. Tell your child you expect that homework will always be done and school work will be taken seriously–it's the child's job.