英语翻译
FormorethansixmillionAmericanchildren,cominghomeafterschoolmeanscominghometoanempty
house.SomedealwiththesituationbywatchingTV.Somemayhide.Butallofthemhavesomethingin
common.Theyspendpartofeachdayalone.Theyarecalledlatchkeychildren.They'rechildrenwholook
afterthemselveswhiletheirparentswork.Andtheirbadconditionhasbecomeasubjectofconcern.
LynetteLongwasoncetheheadmistressofanelementaryschool.Shesaid,"Wehadaschoolruleagainst
wearingjewelry.Alotofkidshadchainsaroundtheirneckswithkeysfastened.Iwasconstantlytellingthem
toputtheminsidetheirshirts.Thereweresomanykeys.Itnevercametomymindwhattheymeant."Slowly,
shelearnedtheywerehousekeys.
Sheandherhusbandbegantalkingtothechildrenwhohadthem.Theylearnedoftheimpact(影响)
workingcouplesandsingleparentswerehavingontheirchildren.Fearisthebiggestproblemfacedbychildren
athomealone.OneineachthreelatchkeychildrentheLongstalkedtoreportedbeingscared.Manyhad
nightmaresandwereworriedabouttheirownsafety.
Themostcommonwaylatchkeychildrendealwiththeirfearsisbyhiding.Itmightbeinashowerstall,
underabed,orinacloset.ThesecondisTV.They'lloftenplayitathighvolume.It'shardtogetstatistics(情
况)onlatchkeychildren,thelongslearned.Mostparentsareslowtoadmittheyleavetheirchildrenalone.