Definition
A child who returns home from school to an empty house because their parent(s) work outside the home, and who must let themselves in with their own key; more broadly, a self-supervising child with limited parental oversight during after-school hours. The term often carries connotations of independence but also vulnerability.
Example Usage
As a latchkey kid in the 1980s, she learned to be self-reliant and make her own snacks after school.
Origin
Latchkey (a key to an outside door) + kid (child); term emerged in the 1970s-80s as more mothers entered the workforce
Fun Fact
Latchkey kids became such a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s that they inspired movies like 'Home Alone' and raised debates about childhood independence versus safety.
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