Safety Tips for Kids Who are Home Alone

In most households, both parents are working 40 hours a week. With this comes the probability that kids are left home alone after school for some time. This is OK and it is more common than one might think. Most of us parents teach our kids about talking to strangers, screaming real loud if someone tries to kidnap them, how to call 911, etc. But sometimes we forget to teach them how to protect themselves while they're in the house, alone. Here are some tips and ideas to help them stay safe while they wait for their parents to get home from work.

1. If you have an alarm system, give them a code they will remember and teach them how to use it.

2. Keep a list of important numbers by the phone, including 911, trusted neighbors, etc.

3. Keep a step stool near the front door so they can look through the peephole if there's a knock

4. Keep lights on in multiple rooms at all times, even during the day

5. Always keep the garage door shut

6. Have a list of neighbors they can call or go to if there's an emergency.

7. Try not too spend time in front of open windows where intruders can see them.

8. Never leave doors or windows open or cracked

9. Always contact a safe person (mom,dad,neighbor) to announce they've arrived home safely

10. Never tell anyone they're home alone on a regular basis, this can alert sexual predators, home invaders and other criminals.

Tense Moment Last Night

I don't understand why people, especially when they're in their 20's, can care less about home security issues. Do you really think it wont happen to you?? Seriously? Last night at about 11pm, my motion detector lit up on my back porch. I froze. I waited. I got up to see. Of course it's pitch black beyond the patio, so I couldn't see if the possible-intruder was out there. I just moved from the big city to a rural part of the country, so this is different for me. I do feel safer out here, but at the same time, I don't. There was this "physco-safeness" I felt being in a dense area, even if the people around me were shady.

But I had my motion detectors. Theyre set up all around my property. Ready to light up as soon as someone thinks they're smart enough to bombard on me. The cost effective method isn't going to call the police, isn't going to alert the neighbors, and 50% of the time it isn't going to deter the intruder. But it does make them think twice. It does alert you that something's going on out there, and 50% of the time I have enough time to run and get my hollow-pointed .38 Special. That's right. I dont mess around. I almost want to egg the intruders on sometimes, "come on in" I wanted to yell. But I didn't. I just sat there for a second, then decided I'd go outside with my flashlight and check it out. After reviewing the situation I went over to check my lights, to ensure they were doing their job. Up on the chair, on my tippie toes I examine the lights and notice the switch is turned to "timed". That's right. Timed. There wasn't any 'intruder' at all. No need for my gun, no need for the panic. All of that was pointless. I could'nt believe it, I just smiled and chuckled to myself. I'm actually glad no one was around that moment as my cheeks turned red. I'm just thankful I didn't start yelling out. LOL Needless to say, I slept just fine.