6 Ways To Keep Kids Safe At Home

We all have a tendency to think of our home as automatically safe. But while this is true for us, as adults, it’s not true automatically for children. Kids love to get their hands onto things that they shouldn’t be using or can otherwise make decisions that could compromise the safety of the house without meaning to. Down below you’ll find some great tips to keep your kids safe at home.

1.     Keep Your Guns Stored Safely

Firearm safety is critical if you have kids in your home. Every year, there are sad stories of children that get their hands on adult weapons and accidentally injure themselves or other people since they don’t know how to properly use guns safely. If you’re ever gone or your kids are ever out of your sight, there’s the chance that they can get their hands on weapons and use them before you have a chance to stop them.

Therefore, the best counter to this possibility is to store your guns securely. There are a couple options you can choose to do for this. First, you can secure your guns in a gun safe, which is the thickest and the best protection possible.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to buy a safe and want to have a piece of furniture that blends into your home a bit more, you can build a customized gun cabinet often has shelves or racks for storing your firearms. Gun safes are typically heavier and thicker and can be bolted into your home’s floor for extra security, while gun cabinets are larger and better suited for longer rifles.

Either way, both of these storage solutions utilize different kinds of locks, such as combination, digital or key-based, to prevent kids from getting their hands on firearms. Using either of these storage solutions basically ensures that your kids can’t harm themselves with the firearms you have for protection.

2.     Install an Alarm System

It’s also a good idea to install a decent alarm system for your home as a whole. Alarm systems may include cameras, microphones or sensors that can instantly alert the authorities if a disturbance is detected.

Home security systems are perfect for getting policed scent as fast as possible in the event of a break-in, or even someone just popping into your backyard. Kids can be vulnerable if left at home by themselves, but the task of calling the authorities in the event of a break-in or a threat doesn’t have to be left to them if you have a home alarm system.

These alarm systems can be programmed for different potential threats or be set to remain on for specific durations. Those systems with cameras can let you check on your kids remotely so you can have peace of mind even went out for an adult night out.

3.     Train a Good Dog

Dogs have been humans’ favorite companions practically since history began. Dogs, when trained well, are exceptionally loyal and can be fantastic guardians for your children against burglars or other possible threats. Some breeds of dog are even smart enough to protect your kids from environmental damage, like fires or floods.

Getting and training a dog to be protective of your kids does take a significant investment of time and money, but you’ll get one of the best guardians possible in exchange. Dogs will never fail or run out of battery and can always be trusted to have your kids’ best interests at heart.

4.     Keep Heavy Electronics Stable or Mounted Securely

Many of the electronics or home entertainment machines that we love so much are pretty heavy, especially to a small child. A TV balanced the wrong way on an entertainment center or speaker that is able to be pushed onto its side represent a significant possible danger to your kid if they are standing in the way of the fall.

To avoid your kids becoming injured by falling TVs or similar devices, you should make sure that every heavy device in your home is securely mounted to the wall or is too heavy to be pushed aside. Basically, making sure that all of your heavy equipment is stable and isn’t likely to accidentally crush your poor child is an important part of making your home safe.

5.     Teach Them to Not Answer the Door

Kids don’t often know how to detect if someone is up to no good. Their socialization skills are not yet developed enough to accurately and quickly identify threats. Because of this, you should teach your children not to answer the door without you present. This covers situations where they are left at home or where the doorbell rings and they happen to be closer than you at that moment.

The good news is that teaching kids this simple rule isn’t very hard and can be accomplished relatively quickly. It’s all too easy for people to talk their way into a house if they’re speaking to a kid, so it’s best to make a flat, “no-answering-the-door” rule that doesn’t allow for any wiggle room to ensure appropriate safety.

6.     Keep Tools Locked Up

Finally, you should always endeavor to keep any tools locked up or stored safely in a spot where kids can’t easily reach them. This follows the same logic as storing your guns securely.

Many power tools or advanced machines are dangerous if they are not handled correctly or by someone practiced at their operation. Think of power drills as an example; only adults should handle these tools since they can easily cause injury if left in the hands of a child.

It may require you to keep the garage locked up at all times unless your present, but making sure that your kids can’t reach any dangerous tools is important for long-term safety. Kids are curious, and that’s great, but no one wants their curiosity to lead them to terrible injury.

Conclusion

Overall, common sense and a little bit of forethought can go a long way towards keeping your kids safe at home. As they grow older, they’ll be able to earn more privileges and have more freedom around the house, but until that time it’s best to lessen the chance for injury as much as possible. Good luck!