Child safety inside of the home is a common topic addressed in several different ways. The most common area of conversation about this topic is in the way of “Baby proofing the home”. Yes, it’s important to baby proof your home if you have an infant or toddler wandering around the house, and it’s crucial that you know how to do it effectively. However, that is a topic for another day. The second common area of conversation about this topic is in the way of addressing home security systems. Yes, it’s important that you have the best security system for your yourself and your family. But, what about the little things? What makes a child unsafe in the home, outside of these popular safety subjects?
5 overlooked weak links in home security:
- Lack of education
- No evacuation (or safety) plan in place
- Lack of attention to child’s behavior
- Internet use
- Lost keys, open doors or unlocked windows
You might be thinking, how do any of these issues directly affect the security of my home? The answer is simple… All of these areas address a commonality; all around awareness plays the biggest role in your home security.
“If you aren’t aware of your child’s safety, then you can’t be sure your child(s) is safe. No security system can replace awareness in a home. You must know what is going on around you, and around your child in order to guarantee their safety.” -Locksmith Plus, Inc
Lack of education
Don’t underestimate the significance of educating your children. Here are a few topics to address in your home:
- Why keep valuables out of sight via windows, guests, maintenance teams, etc)
- Why personal information needs to stay inside the home.
- Why it’s important to only answer the door for very specific people. Teaching a child to answer the door only for people they know is too broad of a term. If they know the mailman and he stops by outside his mailing routine, he is probably not there to deliver mail. Keep in mind that children think differently than adults.
Evacuation and safety plan
The idea of someone breaking into the home while a child is inside is not a possibility we want to consider, but unfortunately, it does happen. Does your child know what to do if this happens? Do YOU know what to do if this happens? It’s okay if you don’t, that’s why we write posts like this. Sometimes it’s not only a child that needs guidance. We are here to educate all age groups, in hopes to improve the overall safety of your community.
Here are some safety tips to consider in case of an unwelcome visitor to your home:
Children:
- If you are scared or are unable to exit the home, HIDE. If you have a folding door closet, hide inside. Hide underneath the bed if you must, or inside of a toy chest (with a lid). If you have long dark curtains that hit the floor, hide behind them, and STAY QUIET. Most of the time a burglar thinks they are alone, and they are hoping to be in and out of the house within 5 mins.
- Have a baseball bat (or another heavy item) with you.
- If you have a cellphone, call 911. Even if you can’t say anything, dial the number. The emergency response team will be on their way.
Parents:
- If you can safely gather your family into one room, do so.
- Call 911.
- If you can’t get to your family, trust your safety plan and hide.
- Listen closely. If you have a firearm, be sure you know how, when and where to use it. Be ready to protect your family.
Note: It’s always best to let the intruder believe they are alone inside of your home.
Attention to detail
What kinds of rules are being bent inside of your home? How often is your child(s) on their cell phone? What kind of information are they giving out via text? Could your youth easily exit the home through a window? If they could, would they? These are some common concerns to address when considering the safety of youth or younger children inside of your home.
Internet usage
This is an issue too often overlooked. With the amount of time spent on social media, it’s important that your youth understand what not to say over the internet. Personal information should never be relayed over social media. When needing to share this kind of information, it’s always best to do it in person or through a phone call.
Examples of poor security via the internet:
- Event invites to your home via Facebook or other social media sites.
- Social media (or text) messages relaying personal information such as age, whereabouts, common hang out places, personal address or phone number, etc.
- Dating sites – some parents don’t want to admit that their youth would engage with people on this kind of a website, but it’s best to monitor internet usage to be sure personal information is not being shared (especially on a dating site).
Lock and key control
- Keep extra keys because your kids will likely lose them at some point if they haven’t lost them already. If it is a repeated offense in your home, have a key hidden somewhere (unexpected) around your home, so that they aren’t locked out of the house in a potentially dangerous situation.
- Keep the doors shut and locked! Even if it’s hot outside, the doors should stay shut and locked if a child is at home alone. Doors should not remain open when children are out in the yard or taking out the trash. Be sure to relay this information like it’s important because it is.
- Keep the garage door closed. This is extremely important. There are too many places for someone to hide inside of a garage, and if the door is left open and unaccompanied, someone may hide out until they feel safe enough to break into your home.
- Lock the windows! Especially at night inside of a child’s room. Unfortunately, far too many children are kidnapped through open window access. Be safe rather than sorry.
While your at it check out Mom’s love best’s: The Ultimate Checklist to Babyproofing Your Home [Free PDF Checklist]
If you have a Locksmith Emergency please call us asap!
