key | Etymology of latch-key by etymonline (2024)

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Key | Etymology of latch-key by etymonline? ›

also latchkey, "a key to raise or draw back the latch of a door" and allow one to enter from outside, 1825, from latch (n.) + key (n. 1). Latchkey child first recorded 1944, American English, in reference to children coming home from school while both parents are away at work.

Today there are around 7.7 million latchkey kids in the U.S.—double the count in 2000. One in five children come home to an empty house after school.

Definition of Latchkey Kids

These children are often referred to as latchkey kids, a term first used during the 1940s during WWII when women were working and men were deployed. 'Latchkey' refers to the key that children need to enter an empty house.

Generation X, also referred to as the “Slacker Generation,” “Latchkeys,” “MTV Generation,” or “Baby Busters,” were born between 1965 and 1979.

(lætʃki ) also latch-key. adjective [ADJ n] If you refer to a child as a latchkey kid, you disapprove of the fact that they have to let themselves into their home when returning from school because their parents are out at work. [disapproval]

The term latchkey kid became commonplace in the 1970s and 1980s to describe members of Generation X who, according to a 2004 marketing study, "went through its all-important, formative years as one of the least-parented, least-nurtured generations in U.S. history."

Whether it's an unexpected snow day or a summer break from school, almost every parent is faced with the decision of whether and when to leave a child home alone. Many people look to the law for help in making this decision, but there is no “legal age” in Pennsylvania when a child can or should be left alone.

'Latch key' urgency can affect people who already have poor bladder control. This term refers to the need to go to the toilet as soon as you get home and put the key in the door. Knowing that you will soon be able to go to the toilet may cause your bladder to contract, so you have to rush to get to the toilet.

Possible consequences of a latchkey situation

Some children cope well without supervision when left alone for less than three hours. However, children being left alone for more than three hours often present with low self esteem, low academic efficacy and high levels of depression.

The number of children left without direct adult supervision continues to grow yearly in part because family instability, single-parent homes, and two working parent households are on the rise.

When was latch popular? ›

The lead single from their debut studio album, Settle (2013), the song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 26 and peaked at number 11. In the United States, "Latch" was a sleeper hit, peaking at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 2014.

Partly because of these factors, Gen Xers were sometimes described as slackers or whiners, particularly in the 1990s, although those descriptions have been contested.

According to Holly Schiff, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist, Gen Xers—raised largely by the Boomers—famously use the helicopter parenting style. “They like to get and give advice about parenting and always learn about how to be a better parent,” she explains.

Overnight, millions of children became latchkey kids as after school programs shuttered, and remaining programs raised prices and reduced available slots. "Having 7.7 million children in 2020 who don't have access to care and are left alone and unsupervised is certainly a concern," Dr.

A person who goes along with whoever is the dominating figure in a group is called a doorknob because they turn in the direction of whoever manages to get their attention.

latchkey (noun as in key) Strong matches. opener passkey screw skeleton.

Some latchkey children report feeling fearful or lonely when they are alone, while other children seem to thrive. Some children exhibit decreased social skills and self-esteem, while others seem to become more independent and better able to solve problems.

Negative consequences of being a latchkey kid include boredom and feeling unloved, alone, or frightened, while positive consequences include increased independence and self-reliance. With a young child alone, however, it can be difficult to avoid imagining worst-case scenarios.

As many as 5-12 million children under the age of 13 are latchkey children -- home alone or with siblings after school for several hours each day.