Keep your kids and your house safe with these tips.
As parents, we want to keep our kids safe from harm and teaching your children safety and security tips at a young age can help them handle risky situations – it is our responsibility, as parents, to promote home safety to our children as early as possible.
7 Home safety tips to share with your children at home
One thing that bothers us as parents is our child’s security but, even at home, our family’s security may not entirely protect us from intruders who may put our family in danger. To combat this, here are 7 home safety tips that you can adopt or teach your kids:
1. Use the necessary alarm systems.
Fire hazards or break-ins are some of the unexpected yet most dangerous accidents that can happen at home and they may happen any time.
For fire hazards, installing smoke alarms in conjunction with carbon monoxide detectors is highly recommended by the NSW Government. You should also have a security alarm at home to help you seek immediate help in case of break-ins and teach your kids how to use the security alarm, so they can get help in case they have to.
2. Avoid placing the furniture where it can lead to injuries.
Ensure that furniture is sturdy and remove those that already have issues. If the kids like to run around, move the furniture out of the way to give them some space.
Have glass furniture in places that are not accessible to children, if possible, or put on protective pads to prevent injuries.
3. Place toddler gates in necessary places.
As your kids grow older, they become more energetic and curious, which is heart-warming, but can also put their safety at risk, especially if they roam around your home unsupervised.
Installing toddler gates is a good parenting move to keep your kids safe. However, you may not want to limit your children by placing these toddler gates in every corner of your house, but you can install toddler gates at the following places:
- Staircase – placing a toddler-gate at the top and bottom of your stairs could prevent them from falling incidents.
- Swimming pool – In addition to the regulation pool fence, if your pool offers direct access to your kids, placing toddler-gates can keep your kids from going to the pool unsupervised.
- Kitchen – letting your young ones have easy access to the kitchen can lead to messy cupboards or spilled food in the fridge.
Remember that it is your responsibility as a parent to explain to your children that some places at home must be accessed with caution.
4. Teach your kids what to do about strangers.
Some kids love social interactions and meeting new people, which are safety risks. As a basic rule of safety, teach your kid not to interacting with strangers without your supervision. You might want to tell them stories of children being abducted by people unknown to them. Mention that strangers with ill-intent would do everything to get their attention, so they should stay alert at all times.
For people appointed to look after your children in your absence, leave instructions about who to contact if a stranger insists on conversing with them.
5. Inform your children of what to do in case of an emergency.
Emergencies come in many different forms from natural disasters like cyclones, earthquakes, or bush fires, to accidents like slipping while taking a bath or getting a deep cut while preparing food. Teach children do the right thing when something like this happens – call for help.
Store emergency kits that are easily accessible and are child-friendly and a good practice is by doing practice drills now and then, so they know what to do and who to contact in case of an emergency.
6. Leave important contact information for your children to use if you are not at home.
Cases where you need to leave your children unattended may happen rarely, but you must ensure their safety and security even when you’re not around.
So, list down all the essential contact information, such as the police, fire department and ambulance. Don’t forget to include your contact number and that of your nearby relatives who can easily access your kids in case of emergency.
7. Install lock security that can be easily taught to your kids.
Even if you could teach your kids the tips above, it would not be as useful if you don’t install lock security at home. Have your kids point out which part of the house should have a security lock and take it into consideration. Teach them the primary ways of locking and unlocking your home.
If you have a budget for a more advanced lock system, you can go for electronic or keyless locks. These have started to become popular among residents for their convenience and efficiency, but whether you choose an electronic or traditional lock, having a reliable lock system at home is incredibly important.
Let Ambassador Locksmiths Install a Reliable Lock Systems at Your Home
If you are in Newcastle or Lake Macquarie, we recommend contacting Ambassador Locksmiths for your home security and locking needs. Our team is dedicated to helping families secure their homes from potential break-ins. Feel free to send your enquiry or call us on 0407 452 424 anytime, and we will be happy to help.