Let's start by painting a picture of the Latchkey Kid phenomenon. In the 1970s and 1980s, economic pressures and the rise of dual-income households meant that more children came home to empty houses. These kids were termed "Latchkey Kids" because they often wore their house key around their necks, a symbol of their self-sufficiency and the trust their parents placed in them to take care of themselves for a few hours each day.