Tag Archives: monitoring

General Safety Issues

A FEW PRACTICAL TIPS FOR IMPROVING SAFETY AND SECURITY AROUND YOUR HOME (GUEST POST)

 In this day and age, improving the safety and security around your home is something in which I encourage all homeowners to consider investing in. After all, your home is where you live, where you raise your family. It contains expensive electronics, jewelry and other valuables like financial records that could lead to identity theft in the wrong hands. Therefore it is important to protect your property both indoors and out as well as secure your family’s peace of mind.

Consider installing security cameras

One easy way to improve the safety of your home is by installing security cameras. When installing surveillance cameras as part of a security system you can typically expect to earn a break in your insurance and can expect the system to pay for itself in a short amount of time and is ultimately a lot less expensive than having your home burglarized.

Home security cameras are often installed above the main entrance point. This is a great way to keep aware of who is coming and going from your home even if you are not present. Moreover, some security systems allow you to unlock a locked front door from a remote location. This is an extremely helpful way to let your kids in the house when they lose their key while you’re at work.
Also, be aware that you can also set up your own remote home monitoring system without the expensive dedicated setup and save some additional money. However, I’m not sure if this approach would qualify you for any discount on your homeowners insurance.

Take your landscaping into consideration

Burglars are always looking for an “easy mark,” and when they pick a home to burglarize it’s rarely, if ever done at random. One of the first things a burglar does is scope out the neighborhood. The last thing a burglar wants to deal with is a nosy neighbor and one of the main things they look for is a home with the least visibility from the street.
Burglars can get exceptional cover from tall privacy fences; break into your home without being caught by using tall trees and unkempt shrubbery that conceals windows. They look for things like un-mowed lawns that could indicated the homeowner is away from home a lot or kids toys left on the lawn because kids in most instances means a mom lives there which means there’s a good chance there’s jewelry inside.

Improve the lighting in your yard

One of the most important steps to take when making your home more secure is by installing adequate lighting outside your house. These lights can be solar-powered which prevents you from having to replace batteries, times so that they come on as the sun goes down and go off as the sun rises or they could be motion sensitive lights that are triggered when motion is detected in the lights “protection zone”.

Choosing the type of security lights to install is largely a matter of your own personal preference and not every type of light will meet the needs of every homeowner. Nevertheless, since security lights do a very good job of highlighting someone’s approach, they can be powerful deterrents to anyone who wants to enter your home uninvited.

Secure your front door

Although many homeowners may be unaware of this fact, one of the main entry points for burglars is through the front door. This is because homeowners often times neglect to replace a worn out and brittle door. Therefore, the burglars can sometimes break the door and gain entrance with little or no real effort.

About the author

Alex Goodwin is a writer, husband, father and aspiring novelist. When he isn’t writing for HomeDaddys or completing chores from his “honey- do” list, he’s most likely spending quality time with his wife and kids or working on his novel.

General Safety Issues

HAVING TEENAGERS IN YOUR HOUSE, AND HOW TO KEEP THEM SAFE (GUEST POST)

                Parents around the world who are fortunate enough to raise children understand that certain phases of childhood are more difficult than others. Parenting is unique in the sense that it requires constant and steadfast attention to detail. Any lapse in judgment can compromise the safety of children, and successful guidance starts in the house.               

                A particularly difficult phase of childhood is the time surrounding the teenage years. The combination of puberty, peer pressure and curiosity forms a tornado of risk taking behavior. Below, I list main areas of the house for parents to safe proof with the goal of making the teen transition a safe one. 

1.       Make the house a forum for communication.       

        One of the most common struggles that parents encounter with their children during the teenage years is lack of communication. It’s hard to foster a safe environment if the ability to understand one another is lacking. If you are a parent or another guardian figure, make sure that you explain to your children that you are always available to talk with them. Your house should be their safe haven.

        When parents don’t hear from their children they have no means to intervene and be helpful when teens are going through tough times. Be open, friendly and trustworthy as a parent and you both will be rewarded. There will be ups and downs, but making your house a place of two way communication can contribute to mental and physical safety. 

Minimum action: Have a sit down conversation every week with your child. Sunday is a convenient time to start. Just before the school week starts is ideal because your child may want to share what happened over the weekend and what they’re worried about heading into the week. 

2.       Loosely monitor internet activity.       

        While avoiding the “Helicopter Parent” label, make sure as a guardian that you are aware of your teenager’s internet presence. It’s crucial to understand the general activity that your child is involved with when it comes to the cyber world. Try not to dwell on the worst cyber-related news stories you’ve ever heard, but at the same time, take into account the possibilities. Set ground rules, and monitor usage to an appropriate degree.  Some ways to accomplish this: 

-Briefly check the computer’s history each week.

-Enable cookies on the browser in case you really need to investigate at some point.

-Frequently ask your child what they are doing on the computer.

-Make it clear you are monitoring usage. If not, a child can feel he or she is not trusted. 

Minimum action: At the very least, you as a parent need to have a good idea of what your teenager is using the internet for. In 2013, this is a prime area of concern when children are involved. Monitor usage to the degree that you feel is necessary within your relative situation that will lead to the highest level of safety. 

3.       Lock up alcohol and firearms. 

        Two extremely dangerous factors in American teenage culture are alcohol and firearms. The combination of the two can be fatal and it’s very, very important to make sure they are locked up. The only time a child should come into contact with either of these items under your watch is when they are legally able to. For one, it is very illegal for adults to provide alcohol to minors. Similarly, it’s very illegal for a teen to operate a firearm without any training or license. Safety can be compromised and completely turned upside down if firearms or alcohol are used inappropriately. 

Minimum action: In a perfect world, there wouldn’t be guns in your household. If there are, lock them up in a gun safe. Putting them on the top shelf of a closet is not sufficient in 2013. With alcohol, make sure to put it in a place where you can adequately monitor it. Alcohol is a complex issue for parents to handle when it comes to teenagers. The best course of action is to be up front with your children and monitor bottle counts and levels. 

Teenage years are an important phase in life for children and possibly even more so for a parent. If you are a guardian, your true test will come during this time. It’s important to put safety above all else, and it starts in the house. Your property is where your child will spend a majority of his or her time, and with all of the risks in society, it’s vital to safe proof the house.  

Naomi Broderick is a professional writer who’s secure in her abilities and even more confident in her parenting. When she’s not juggling her three children in the front yard she writes for ProtectYourHome.com, a leader in home security.