School holidays is an ideal time to take a moment to teach your children age-appropriate home security routines. Before you begin teaching your kids about home security, it’s important not to scare them. Instead, let them know that you will teach them some important things about security in the home and assure them they’re not in any immediate danger. Let’s look at five things you can teach your kids about home security. Create a routine for securing the home when you leave Before heading out get the whole family involved in checking that doors and windows are secure. For example, you can delegate one area of the home to each family member or have one person check that doors are locked while the other checks the windows. Create clear age-appropriate rules and routines to keep everyone safe Create a set of rules for protecting your home and regularly practices them. To make children feel safe at home, simple rules might be: Keep house and car keys in a safe spot away from windows and doors Don’t leave house keys or garage buzzers in the car Don’t give out your home address to people you don’t know or trust For older children – keep doors and windows locked if they’re home without an adult Don’t lend your house key to anyone, unless it’s a trusted adult Practice a daily routine with children to protect your home. Rules can also be written and kept in a family-friendly spot, like on the fridge, where everyone is likely to notice. Teach older children how to use your home security alarm system If you have an alarm system in place, teach your older children how to arm and disarm it in case of emergency. Teaching children this skill shows that you feel they are responsible and help to build their confidence. Have a plan in place for a possible break-in if older children are home alone Like the rules you have in place to reduce the risk of a break-in, it’s important to have a plan if older children are home alone and feel unsafe. Here are some rules that you may want to consider: Don’t answer the door to anyone who looks suspicious. E.g. Trusted adults or people who haven’t been to your home before. If anyone is sitting in their car outside the home for an extended period, they should call you or a trusted adult to alert them and tell them they feel unsafe. If someone unknown attempts to enter the home, they should lock themselves in a safe area and dial 000. Have an emergency response and evacuation plan in place Fire safety at home is essential, and it’s crucial to have a safety plan that your family regularly practices. You can come up with the plan as a family, which should include having fire escape routes and easily accessible first aid/emergency kits. Crimsafe’s strong Safe-S-Cape emergency exit windows are designed for a fast keyless exit in an emergency, with the push of a button. If you’re looking for peace of mind when it comes to protecting your family, you can’t go past Crimsafe. So reach out to your nearest Crimsafe supplier for a free measure and quote today.
