Instilling good habits and routines with your children from an early age is important for their development. This will help them not only as a child but as a young adult and throughout their adult life.
Leading by example is a fantastic way to teach your kids good values. Plus, through following these good habits yourself, you and your children help protect your loved ones and the prized possessions of your family.
You’ll want to supervise these security methods at first when instructing your children. As they become competent at these, start to introduce more useful habits.
Lock the Doors and Windows
Show your children how to lock the doors and windows of your home and any external buildings, like a shed. Get them into the habit of doing so when you’re leaving the house or before everyone is going to bed.
Quality locks are a straightforward and standard way to keep opportunistic thieves out. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a good quality lock.
Looking after Their Possessions
Bicycles are a great catalyst for teaching your kids about the benefits of keeping their possessions safe. Teach your kids to not leave bikes on the front lawn, driveway or path, away from opportunistic thieves passing by (and away from becoming a tripping hazard for you). Show your children where to store their bikes and how to securely lock them away.
The same goes for other toys left around, particularly those toys left outside and in public view. By storing these away when they’re done playing with them, they can keep them out of sight of opportunistic thieves and again, away from becoming a tripping hazard.
Teaching kids how to look after their possessions helps them develop a sense of responsibility, passing on as they get older and while they’re living with you, helping keep your home tidier.
Being Prepared for Emergencies
Have a plan for when things go wrong and your children are home alone or their supervising adult is unavailable. Provide them with a list of numbers of trusted people they can call in an emergency. This could include 000, a trusted neighbour or family friend or your partner’s mobile phone.
Answering the Door and Phone Calls
If your children have a phone or your place has a home phone, instruct your children on how to answer the phone properly.
Teach your kids that they shouldn’t detail they’re home alone. If someone wants to speak with you, instruct your children that they should tell them that you’re busy. Your children can take a message and should get the caller’s name, number and reason for their call.
You children should not give any information like their address, phone number or name or school name.
When answering the door, teach your children about talking through the door. Like when answering the phone, they shouldn’t tell people that they’re home alone. Install a peephole so they can see who they’re talking to.
If the person at the door doesn’t leave, instruct your kids to call a trusted adult.