What to teach your children about home safety

Once your children reach a certain age, the time will come when you need to teach them about the importance of home safety. Knowing how to approach a more ‘serious’ topic such as this can be a challenge, but there are ways to discuss home safety with your children without overwhelming them. This way, when they’re old enough to be home alone, you can have full faith that they know how to stay safe. 

We want to give you a helping hand. So, here’s what you can teach your children about home safety.

Try not to overwhelm

The topic of safety and security can be overwhelming if approached in the wrong way. Placing too much responsibility on children at an early age can be daunting, and as a parent, you’ll know when they’re ready for that conversation. Children are more likely to learn when they’re engaged, so rather than initiating a long, sit-down discussion, try to find ways to make learning about safety and security ‘fun’. By putting goals in place, acting out real life scenarios to test their knowledge, and rewarding progress, you’ll be surprised at how fast they learn.

Always lock up

If you feel ready to trust your child with a house key, let them practise locking and unlocking the door on their own. Ensure that they know to keep track of their house key, but if you’re worried about them misplacing it, you could attach it to a retractable leash, for example, to be safely hidden inside their rucksack or add a key finder to the key ring.

Alternatively, if you have a keyless entry system, make sure that they can confidently input the security code - without prompts or reminders.

Be cautious of strangers

Another key safety rule is to not answer the phone or door to strangers. Even though they may appear friendly at first, make sure they know that this may not always be the case. If your child is home alone, provide them with a list of emergency contact numbers, which should include trusted friends, family members, or neighbours. This way, they’ll be easily reachable if a stranger does approach your home. 

Stay safe online

When your children are old enough to use the internet, try to make the topic of internet safety part of regular conversation to avoid overwhelming them. Getting used to using technology can be a task in itself, so tackling the conversation with a calm and understanding demeanour is the best way forward. 

As your children get used to operating their devices, you may find it more reassuring to set parental controls, and there may be certain features you can turn off to protect their wellbeing - such as chat functions and in-app purchases. 

If your child is old enough to use social media, ensure that they know the importance of keeping personal information private - such as your address. Reaffirm that, just as social media has its perks, this doesn’t mean there aren’t risks to be cautious of.

Be wary of house fires

Of course, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of house fires to protect your children - such as switching off heated appliances when they aren’t in use. However, you should still discuss fire safety with your kids when they’re old enough to understand. If they’re alone in the house, they should know what to do if your Smoke Detector starts beeping. Also, if there is a fire, they should know to call 999, and how to safely evacuate. For extra peace of mind, with SimpliSafe’s Pro Premium professional monitoring plan, the Smoke Detector can detect a fire in its early stages and the monitoring centre can request fire brigade dispatch if a fire is visually verified

Put toys away

After playing outside, your children should put their toys away safely and securely. Whether this is in a locked shed or inside the house, this should become routine after a play session. This way, you won’t risk valuables luring a burglar into your home, and you’ll also prevent any tripping hazards. 

Show them how to use your home security system

If appropriate, make sure to show your children how to arm and disarm your home security system - whether they’re coming back home, or leaving for the day. However, in the event that your alarm should accidentally be triggered and your child can’t remember how to turn it off, this can also be done remotely through the SimpliSafe app. 

Keeping an eye on your children

Worried about what your kids are getting up to when you’re away from home? With the SimpliSafe app, you can keep an eye on what’s going on - no matter where you are. Simply set up your Indoor and Outdoor Security Cameras in an unobstructed area for crystal clear, 24/7 viewing. 

For additional peace of mind, you can sign up to our professional monitoring plan. Our centre will be able to check security camera footage if your security alarm is triggered, ensuring that your home, and your children, are tended to as soon as possible in the event of an emergency.

The SimpliSafe home security system has been designed with families in mind. Easy to use and install, and completely customisable, you can build yours to best suit your home, choosing from a variety of additional alarm sensors for an extra layer of protection. Contact our team today to find out more.