The New School Year: Teaching Your Kids about Home Security

With the new school year underway, it’s worth teaching your kids about home security. As most home burglaries happen during the day, and school lets out earlier than the work day, it would be beneficial for your children to learn about signs of a break-in should they have the misfortune of coming home alone to a ransacked house. The following examines the importance of going straight home after school, using the alarm system – if you have one –, and what to do if there is suspicion of a break-in:

Going Straight Home

I remember learning in middle school not too long ago that, at least in my city, the school is responsible for the well-being of its students from the moment school gets out to when the student enters his/her house. That being said, my teachers instructed us to go straight home after school. Teach your child the same. Additionally, it is ultimately up to you, the parent, when you will trust your child with a house key. If you feel s/he is still too young for that responsibility, you may choose to invest in a smart lock, which allows you to unlock the door remotely. Finally, we all learned never to talk to strangers. Extrapolate this rule and tell your children not to open the door for strangers. A solution to this worry may be to invest in a doorbell camera, which allows you to view the person outside the door before deciding whether to grant access.

Learning the Alarm

If you have an alarm system in your house, everyone should know how to use it, even the kids. Let them hear the alarm go off when the door is opened so they know what it sounds like, and teach them how to disable it. Additionally, home security systems have an option to be notified via smartphone app or text message about the status of your system – if it goes off, if it’s disabled, or if the alarm is tripped. This gives you peace of mind as a parent, letting you know that your children made it home safely.

What to do Following a Break-In

There are tell-tale signs that your house has been broken into and burglarized. They include open doors, broken windows, and ransacked rooms with missing valuables. If your child recognizes any of these signs, s/he should not enter the house. Instead, s/he should go to a trusted neighbor with whom you’ve spoken before about this step. As we’ve already seen, break-ins are twice as likely to happen during the day than at night. Moreover, a burglar is most likely to use the front door, and the majority of burglaries – 60% – require forced entry – a kicked in door or a broken window. Talk to your kids about an emergency escape plan, which can be employed in the event of a break-in, fire, or other emergency.

At Instant Alarm, the safety of everyone in your home is of utmost importance. We encourage teaching your kids how to stay safe while at home and what to do in the case of an emergency. Their safety and well-being is more important than missing valuables. For all your home security needs, questions, and concerns, contact Instant Alarm by phone at 800-499-9070, or visit our website.