The school bells are ringing again, marking the start of another year of classes, homework and busy schedules. In many cases, these schedules don’t always allow for parents to shuttle their children safely home from school and keep an eye on them. After school safety is a critical part of the school year, and with proper planning, you can rest assured your family is safe – even when they’re on their own!
Safety Tips for the Home
Don’t Leave Doors & Windows Unlocked or “Secret Keys” Outside
One of the most common mistakes in owning a home is when homeowners make it easy for intruders to find their way into your house. Whether leaving a door unlocked or hiding a key outside under the welcome mat, it’s always a bad idea!
While you may think you know the perfect spot to hide a key, experienced thieves have seen all the tricks. Instead, create a copy for your son or daughter and have them keep it in their backpack or around their neck on a lanyard. Don’t mark the key in any way – in case they lose it, you don’t want strangers to know they have a key to your home!
Protect Yourself with Home Security & Home Automation
Home security and home automation offer you the best protection for your child and your home! First and foremost, a monitored home security system protects your family, whether you’re home or away. In the event of an intrusion or other emergency, Habitec Security’s award-winning Central Station is ready to alert you and emergency services.
One feature of modern home automation is the ability to interact with your security system wirelessly. Did your child forget their key? You can unlock the front door from the Habitec Connect mobile app! You can also use your security cameras to check-in on them to make sure they’re okay until you get home from work.
Those few hours after school and before you get home, can be stressful. A home security system is one of the easiest solutions to reduce stress and let you relax!
Safety Tips for Parents
Know Your Child’s Route Home
Does your child walk or ride their bike home? It’s important for you to know the route they take! There are several situations which might require you to go find them between your home and school:
- They are exceptionally late or injured on the way home
- Construction or another detour is blocking their way home
- Weather required them to find shelter before getting home
Children won’t always be able to identify road signs or remember street names. If you know their estimated path, you’ll be able to get to them quickly if the need arises.
Leave Emergency Contact Information
In years past, it was important to have a list of emergency contacts for quick reference. Guess what – it still is! Many children have smartphones nowadays. It’s a great idea to fill their contacts with important numbers: your office number, your mobile number and even the number for a few trustworthy neighbors.
But kids can be forgetful. If they lose their phone, they may not have any idea how to reach you. An old-fashioned pen-and-paper contact list is invaluable as a back-up or as the primary means of getting help if they don’t have a smartphone handy.
Teach Your Family How to Use Your Home Security System
While Habitec’s security systems are more user-friendly than most technology, it’s still a new system you and your family will need to learn how to use! When we evaluate your home to design your custom security solution, you’ll likely have several helpful features beyond standard home monitoring.
Knowing how to operate everything from your wireless devices to arming the alarm is critical to getting the most out of your security system. Understanding how to operate your system means you will feel safer and it will also reduce the urgency to speed home to meet your child after school.
Safety Tips for Children
Contact Your Parents If Plans Change
School life can be hectic! You may miss the bus, or the path you take home from school may be temporarily closed due to construction. In any case, it’s important to notify your parents if your plans change. Even if a family member or friend offers you a ride home, your parents should know before you go.
No parent likes to have to wait for a social media post to figure out where their child went!
Practice Emergency Responses
When you’re home alone after school, you’re in charge. While it’s unlikely a fire or another emergency, it’s critical to know how to handle all situations!
Know how to get yourself to safety and then contact your family or 911. Fire escape plans should be standard for any household, and you should also think about what might happen if an intruder attempts to break-in, or a natural disaster.
The best way to be prepare is to plan a response and practice it until it’s second-nature.
Contact Us Today to Secure Your Home!
Keep your home safe! If you’re considering a security system for your home or business, our security experts can design a system for your security needs and backed by award-winning, 24-hour local monitoring. Contact us today!
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