Safety And Security Advice For latchkey kids

We would all love to be around to supervise our kids 24/7, but the reality is that most homes need both parents working to support it. At some point your job will require you to work unexpected overtime, how do you insure the safety of your children when you are not there to supervise them.If you have a neighbor, or babysitter willing to help out at a moments notice, you have nothing to worry about. But you should still have a back up plan just in case.

How young is too young
The law varies from state to state regarding how old a child must be before they can be left unsupervised. It varies from as young as eight years old, and can go up to fourteen, however most experts believe that the minimum age should be twelve.

Before you even consider leaving your child unsupervised,make sure that you check your state laws first. Just because you feel your kid is mature enough, doesn’t mean your state will agree.

Childproof your home
Before even considering leaving a child unsupervised you as a responsible parent must make sure that your home is as safe as you can make it.First on my list are firearms. If you own a gun, it should be locked away in a gun safe…end of story no discussion.there is no place in your home that you could hide a gun that your child will not find it. All other childproofing tips are really only basic safety tips.Things like having a working smoke detector, fire extinguisher…etc.

emergency contact numbers

As anyone who has ever been in a crisis situation will tell you, your memory will sometimes fail you.I have seen adults forget their own telephone number when rattled… a scared child will definitely not do much better.You need to have an emergency contact list posted in a central location, that contains not only your contact phone numbers, but the address and telephone numbers of multiple  other trusted adults, that can be called in the event of an emergency.If for whatever reason you are not reachable by phone, your kids should have other adults they can reach out to for help.

Establishing Rules

Maybe it is because of the boredom, or it could just be the thrill of not having a parent around, but kids will do some really outrageously creative things when left unsupervised. This is why we need to create a list what is, and is not allowed.

Things like  not opening the door for strangers ,or  mentioning to a stranger on the phone that no adult is at home, Inviting friends over,using the oven or stove, leaving the house etc. This list could go on for ever.  The very fact that you are leaving your kids unsupervised  shows you trust their judgment, but if you feel that you need to mention on this list that putting the cat in the washing machine is not allowed…maybe they should not be left alone.

Use your home security system

There are many home security systems currently on the market that have a remote access feature.This allows the system to be monitored, and controlled by the user from any computer with a internet access. it would be possible to place the system in the home mode, which means that the perimeter alarms , such as the doors and windows are active, but the interior alarms are off. Using this set up, you will know immediately if anyone attempts to enter, or leave the home.
If your home has home security cameras that are internet capable, they can also be used to keep an eye on things around the home. You could simply dial in and see for yourself that things are normal in the home.

Leaving your  kids home alone does not have to end up like the plot of a Hollywood movie .It can be a great way of teaching your children independence and responsibility .All that is needed to make this experience safe, is a little advanced planning.

How Pool Alarms Prevent Accidental Drownings

If ever there was a great idea this is it! How many times when we were kids did we hear about some kid falling into a neighborhood pool and drowning? It seemed like a fairly common occurrence here in Arizona, where there are so many pools. Had they had effective pool alarms back then, in the 60′s, these tragedies could have been mostly avoided. The technology was certainly available at that time, but no one had yet put it to this particular use.

Today, there’s no excuse for anyone owning a swimming pool not to have it properly protected to prevent someone falling in and drowning. There are many, many options for accomplishing the installation of a suitable alarm system for your swimming area. Some are as simple as pulling a small unit out of the shipping box, turning on the switch and placing it in the pool to be protected.

Most legal jurisdictions require that any pool being constructed must be built to certain codes. These regulations will almost certainly require erection of a protective barrier around the pool area, such as a fence. There’s a good chance that said fence will contain some type of entryway, such as a door or gate. Alarms are available for the purpose of alerting the home occupant when someone has opened the entryway, thus warning them that someone has entered the pool area.

Of course, every parent should know that having an infant, especially a toddler, around a swimming pool requires extra vigilance. Children aren’t conscious of the risks involved but, as non-swimmers around a body of water, they are in constant danger. Diverting your attention even briefly could spell disaster. Fortunately, there are means for reducing this risk to almost zero.

One of the most popular alert systems for pools is also one of the easiest to operate. It consists of a unit that floats in the water and sends an alert whenever a wave upsets its peaceful tranquility. The sensitivity can be adjusted to preclude false alarms, such as those from a water feature in the pool.

Another frequently used design of alarm utilizes ultrasonic technology, similar to that employed by dolphins and submarines. A unit is placed in the body of water to be protected and the child at risk is fitted with a wrist or ankle bracelet. The alert is sounded any time the bracelet makes contact with the water. One advantage of this system is that it is totally transportable, meaning you can take it on vacation or to the neighbor’s pool to protect your children there too. Collars are also available to protect your pet in the same manner.

This ultrasonic system has the advantage of being effective even while others are using the pool. The wave sensitive type will have to be removed while people are using the facilities, since they will certainly be making waves. Windy conditions can also be the source of some false alarms with this type of set up.

There is a slight brouhaha afoot concerning some Asian manufacture of alarm systems that very closely resemble more expensive, American made products. Many of the Internet sites selling pool alarms proudly proclaim their units to be Made in the U. S. A. And that in itself might be a good selling point. There is definitely a difference in the quality of construction. You decide what’s best for your particular purposes but, if you own a pool, please make sure you also own an alarm.

Why Purchasing A Child GPS Locator Is A Good Idea

If you are a parent, your child is most likely the most important thing in the world to you and you would do anything to protect him or her. Some parents express this need to protect their children by trying to shelter them from everything in the world and by limiting the amount of time they are allowed to spend outside or away from home. However, this is probably not the best method, since kids need to experience the world outside at some point. If you are interested in keeping your children safe, but also want them to have lives of their own, you may be interested in investing in a child GPS locator.

A good locator allows you to track your children’s movements at any given time. Some will allow you to log into a portal on a website and view a map showing exactly where your child is. You may also be able to track their movements through an app on your cell phone, depending upon the device you choose and the type of phone you own. A smart phone usually works best.

GPS locators come in many different forms. Some are embedded within watches, while others may be small devices a child wears around his or her neck or it may be in the form of a very small tag.

The key to choosing the right device for your needs is to look for a product that your child will wear or carry around at all times. Some of the watches, for instance, come in bright colors and fun designs that appeal to children.

Do not purchase a locator just because it is cheap. Make sure it has all of the features you need. For example, it needs to be waterproof and it must be able to take a beating. Kids have a tendency to get messy and to play roughly with their possessions.

Some locators will offer some great functions, like a roaming alert. This alert will occur when your child wanders a certain distance from a device that you either keep in your home or on yourself. When they have wandered away, it will begin to vibrate, beep, or do both of those things. In order to help you find your child, the locator will show which direction to move in and will also give you an indicator to let you know when you are getting farther or closer to your child.

Be very careful when choosing a locator. Find a device that has a good locator range on it and be sure that it can maintain contact with the device your child is wearing even if they enter a building or wander very far away from you. Some devices are unable to hold their signal when the tagged person enters a building, so be sure to read the fine print on any item you consider purchasing.

Many people are now using cell phones in conjunction with locators or as locators themselves. There are certain brands of cell phones that can be turned into GPS trackers. All you have to do is enable them by downloading an app onto them. The phone can then be tracked online for free or for a fee.

A child GPS locator can help protect your children, but you have to choose the right device. Find something that allows you to map their whereabouts or a device that alerts you when they have wandered off.