Home Alone Safety Tips for Kids
School is about to start, which means the kids may have a few hours where they are home alone after school and before you get home from work. If your children are 12 years or older, they can be home alone, but you may still be wary. There are ways you can prepare them for the task and enjoy peace of mind knowing they will be safe.
Help Your Children Stay Home Alone
Whether your child is home alone for an hour or five, there are steps you can take to keep your child safe. Start teaching your children the importance of safety long before the school year starts and do a few trial runs of them being home alone so they can get a feel for it.
- Create an Emergency Plan – Your children should know what to do in the event of an emergency while they are home alone. They should know how to respond to a smoke alarm, who to call and where to go. Establish a family emergency plan for the kids and post it somewhere in the house to remind them.
- Check In Frequently – Have your children check-in the moment they get home from school and possibly a few times while they are home alone.
- Arm the Security System – Have your children arm your security system the moment they get home and have strict instructions for disarming it. Let children know that they are not allowed to disarm the alarm for any reason.
- Keep the Door Shut – Children staying home alone should never be allowed to answer the door or play outside when their parents are not home. Be clear that children must stay indoors and keep the doors shut, regardless of who is knocking at the door.
- Keep them Busy – Sometimes the best way to keep children safe is keeping them busy. While a little downtime after school is fine, make sure they have a routine while home alone; such as doing homework, practicing an instrument, or even completing daily chores.
One way to add peace of mind is by installing a home security system complete with security cameras. With a live monitoring feed, you can check-in on the kids while they are home alone. You can also set it up so you receive notifications the moment they enter the home and any time the alarm is disarmed. GuardMe Security wants to help you keep your children safe while they are home alone this school season. Let our security experts come by to offer you a free in-home estimate to secure your property and add peace of mind.
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