4 Ways Parents Can Protect Their Home and Children

Your home should be a fortress against the threats of the outside world. This is especially true if there are children living in your home. When it comes to protecting your home and children, though, not all solutions are created equal. That’s why it’s important to know which solutions are the most effective so you can be confident in the protection you’re able to provide for your family. To help make the most of your security budget, here are four ways that you can protect your home and children.

Have A Safety Plan

A safety plan is a procedure you and your family will follow in the event of an emergency. A safety plan should cover several different scenarios, including storms, fires, and intruders. No matter how old your children are, it’s important to have a safety plan in place to allow yourself to think through potential emergencies and make the best plan to keep everyone safe. If your children are old enough to understand the plan, it’s vital that you discuss the plan with them so they know what their roles are as well.

Install Security Cameras

One of the most powerful deterrents against crime is a security camera. Even if a crime is still committed with cameras in place, properly placed security cameras give you a much better chance of apprehending the criminal. The key is to install the cameras in out-of-the-way places so they won’t immediately be noticed by criminals. This ensures that you capture plenty of usable footage, whether or not a crime is ultimately committed.

Utilize Alarm System

Modern alarm systems are unique in that they can be customized to protect your family from threats both inside and outside the home. For example, many alarm systems allow you to customize the alerts that different sensors trigger, meaning you can monitor the safety of a cabinet with harmful chemicals just as easily as you can monitor the safety of an entry door. A bonus of a monitored alarm system is that it typically comes with a discount on many homeowner’s insurance policies. Talk to a homeowner’s insurance agent for more information for how insurance can protect your family.

Install a Fence

In a perfect world, a fence of any type would likely not be necessary. Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world, meaning a privacy fence is needed to offer protection against many common threats. Among these threats are stray dogs, “peeping toms,” children running off into the street, and other dangerous situations. The best part is that a well-built privacy fence can enhance the beauty of your property, providing a private oasis for you to enjoy throughout the year.

Keep the Conversation Going

A great way to protect your children is to empower them with information. Obviously, you can’t give the same type of information to a 5-year-old as you can to a 12-year-old. Just the same, it’s important to have honest, age-appropriate conversations with your children to let them know about what to do if they’re faced with an emergency. This type of knowledge helps to save lives.

Where your children are concerned, no safety measure is too much. Make sure to include them in your security plans and to have open communication about the reasons behind your safety measures. By communicating with your children and following these tips, you can keep your home and family safe.

 Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan