6 Tips for Keeping your Kids Safe at Home

Parents want to bubble-wrap their kids and keep them away from harm, but that’s unfortunately unrealistic. You cannot be with them all the time, especially when you have to work. Therefore, you need to prepare them for the good and the bad, the right and the wrong. Raise street-smart kids who know how to stay safe.

Try not to wait for your children to become a teenager to teach them about personal safety and responsibility. Sit with them today and educate them about your home security systems as well as their safety. For your guidance, we’ve jotted down 6 tips for keeping your children safe at home.

1. Secure your home
   Lots of things can happen at home when you’re not there. For instance, a fire could occur. So, as a safety measure against fire, you should place smoke detectors around your home. You can also go one step further and install carbon monoxide detectors too.
   
   Secondly, install window and door sensors. Suspicious entry, like a window breaking, will send you an alert. Depending upon your preference, these sensors could trigger a loud alarm or a notification on your phone.
   
   You can even consider installing a security monitoring system as it can dissuade the potential intruders from trying to enter your home. The best thing about fitting the system is you can also arm and disarm it from your phone or tablet. Thus, you can install security cameras and keep on eye at your place whilst sitting in your office.
   
   
2. Educate your kid to operate any security systems
   If you already have security systems, then demonstrate how to operate the system for your kid. As many traditional monitoring systems are monitored by an external security company, teach your child to answer the security company’s call. What should they say? Are their passwords they need to learn? How do they ask for help if they need it?
   
   
3. Protect your yard
   If you own a swimming pool, then make sure to surround it with a fence and keep access points locked. This will stop children from swimming along and potentially drowning.
   
   If you’ve use pesticides in your backyard, then do not allow your kids to go into your yard for at least 48 hours. The chemicals they may be exposed to can affect their vital organs like livers and kidneys. Read our another article on “Top Tips for Home Security Camera Placement”
   
   
4. Teach kids about front door safety
   Kids can be trusting. Hence, you need to teach them to not talk to any strangers who knock on the door. Also, educate them to not open doors for people they do not know. They should also not let anyone know that they are home alone.
   
   You also need to teach them how to use locks and alarms when they are alone at home. Show them how to arm and disarm the alarm system. Also, show them how to secure the locks on all the windows and doors. Kids tend to forget such things, so check in with them every now and again to make sure they’re still doing it.
   
   
5. Prepare your kids for an emergency
   It’s necessary to prepare your children for all reasonable types of emergency. For this, you need to first make sure that your kids access to a mobile phone or landline. After that, provide them with a list of emergency contact numbers like emergency services, family members and trusted friends.
   
   Teach them who to call depending upon the emergency. For instance, if your home catches fire, then educate them to call the fire department. Also, you should teach your children to reach out to a known and reliable person in case of any emergency. It could be your neighbours or friends.
   
   
6. Provide children with Internet safety tips
   It’s impossible to avoid the Internet in the modern age. Therefore, it’s part of your responsibility as a parent to teach them how to use the internet safely. Set up some clear rules and make sure your kids follow them. Here are a few examples.
   

• Do not respond to share strangers
• Do not share passwords with anyone except parents
• Do not meet an online friend unless you have your parent’s permission
• Talk to your parents before opening any email attachment or downloading software
• Be aware of online ads and ask your parents before buying anything online

Final thoughts

Personal safety isn’t some thing to just bring up once with your kids. It needs to be a part of regular calm discussions. Start talking with your kids about a few points mentioned above as early as possible. It will allow you to rest easier, letting them gain independence and feel safe at home when you’re not there.