How to Involve Your Children in the Security of Your Home

We know that you want to protect your children from as much turmoil and upheaval as possible, but safety at home is something everyone should be involved in.

Being open about security doesn’t mean you need to scare them. It just means that everyone is better prepared in the event of an emergency.

Since we work with families all the time, we decided to create this guide that outlines how you can involve your children in the security of your home.

How to Include Kids in the Security of Your Home

Step 1: Take About Security Risks and Who to Trust

One of the best ways to keep your kids safer at home is to have a frank discussion about security and who they can and cannot trust. For example, just because a well-dressed delivery man comes to the door doesn’t mean they should open the door. Obviously, keep your child’s age in mind for these discussions, but honesty is the best way forward. Providing them with age-appropriate security-related information is one of the best ways to ensure they stay safe while you’re at home and away from home.

Step 2: Explain How Your Security Systems Work

If your child is old enough to understand how to punch a code into a keypad, you can show them how your security system works. First, create a code that’s just for them and explain to them that they cannot share this code with anyone else. Next, explain which scenarios warrant them using the security system. Be clear that it’s an important system and not a toy.

Step 3: Create Habits

Teaching your kids the basics is a good way to emphasize the importance of security. For example, teaching them to always lock your front door when coming in and out of the house is essential. If they’re coming out, they should always make sure they have a key or that mom or dad has a key. Keeping downstairs windows closed when they will be spending the afternoon upstairs is another example of a habit that you can teach them early on.

Step 4: Create an Emergency Plan Together

The final step in ensuring everyone is on the same page when it comes to home security is to create an emergency plan. If your kids are old enough, get their input on this as this can help make it a more important thought in their minds. Start with placing emergency numbers in easy-to-access places – you should also add these numbers to your child’s phone if they have one.

Next, you want to outline what everyone should do in the event of an emergency. This can be anything from a home invasion to a fire. When everyone feels more prepared, everyone feels safer.