Are you ready for the kids to go back to school? It’s an emotional time. Many crave the return to normality, particularly after these turbulent 18 months. On the other hand, lots of parents will be feeling emotional as their “babies” are heading off to nursery, high school or even university.
Quite a few of our team have kids heading off to various high schools this time, so we’ve put our heads together and compiled some ways to help keep your (not so) little ones safe.
The School Run
Plan your child’s route to school with them, and have a practise run. This way you know where your child is and that they’re using a safe, agreed route. Avoid unlit or abandoned areas and find a route with minimal road crossings. Encourage your child to walk with a friend and to be aware of their surroundings; this means avoiding the distraction of their phone (good luck) or headphones when walking. Remind them that if they feel unsafe at any time they can call you, and if they are in immediate danger to call 999.
No doubt you will have spoken to your child about stranger danger and online stranger danger countless times. Now is a good time to revisit this, particularly if they are travelling independently to school or if they use social media. The new slogan of “Clever Never Goes” refocuses the stranger danger message. There are lots of online resources including videos to help parents speak to their children, including older children, about staying safe when they are out and about. Remind your child never to accept lifts from strangers or open the door to someone they don’t know.
Many secondary schools finish earlier than primary schools, and lots of adults are returning to the office. This could mean your teen is arriving home before you. Agree an ETA with your child, and encourage them to let you know when they have arrived home. Make sure your teen charges their phone before setting off, but help them learn your phone number in case of emergency.
Home Time
This is where your Keybury home security systems come into their own. Your doorbell camera, CCTV or home alarm can notify you when your child is home. Our home alarm app allows you to control your alarm from your phone and send notifications. You can program the system to only receive notifications from certain people, such as your teenagers. Similarly our doorbell cameras can alert you to their arrival on the doorstep. All the systems can be used collaboratively to see that your family have arrived home safely.
You can order a new alarm fob for your child here and find instructions to programme it into the system here. If you need help, one of our team can talk you through setting up the tag, as telephone support is included in Keybury Cover.
Police recommend that you lock your door when you’re at home. This is good advice to pass on to your children.
This blog explores what your child should do if they arrive home to discover a break in, and explain the importance of being familiar with the different alarm sounds in your home.