Archive for November 24th, 2009
The weeks leading up to your children’s return to school can be hectic ones. Shopping trips to pick up school supplies lead to inevitable overspending and surprise when you find yourself saying, “That notebook costs how much?” Beyond the economic requirements of the back-to-school season are the planning, the deciding and sometimes even the nagging that come along. Anxious kids may be less-than-enthused when it comes to the idea of getting back into the classroom and may require a fair amount of pushing. Activity sign-ups, schedule arrangements and lunch menus are just a few of the list of many things this time of the year requires.
This year during back to school time, think about adding another item to your to-do list: talking to kids about home security. Though you may be busy buying backpacks and organizing car pooling, the safety and security of your household is an extremely important topic. Moreover, once the school year is in full swing, you are sure to be even more swamped. Back-to-school preparation may be the perfect time to get your kids ready and informed in this very important topic as well.
Not sure how to get the ball rolling on back-to-school home security? Start out with a simple conversation. On the way to the mall for a shopping trip or to school for registration, talk to your kids about the importance of being conscientious of security at home. Tell them about the potential threats and risks they face – but be careful not to scare them. There are a wide range of topics upon which you can touch.
Tell your children about the measures you’ve already taken to ensure their safety and security when inside of your house and apartment. Explain to them the investment you’ve made in deadbolts, motion lights and home alarm systems. Let them know that you are doing all that you can to make sure that they are okay, setting their minds at ease but also making them aware of your efforts.
Next, talk about what measures your child can take to improve security in your home. Talk to them about the importance of locking doors and setting alarms when inside the house, especially when you are not home. Set out clear and concise policies and rules when it comes to confrontations with strangers at the door, invitations of new friends to your home and sharing of personal information online. Talk about emergency plans in the case of fire, accidents or gas leaks and organize a list of phone numbers and contacts.
Including home security on your back-to-school to-do list can be as simple as a good conversation about the importance of safety and security in the home. You can ensure that your children are well during school and after, day and night. There is no reason to scare children or develop an overly-complicated regimen. In the midst of back-to-school preparation, taking a few minutes to talk to kids about staying safe at home will result in invaluable lessons and learning.
Talk to your kids about your adt security system when having your back-to-school security talk. Let them know that with adt security, they?ll be safe and sound all year long.