How to protect your family in five easy steps without breaking the bank.
As moms, we wear many hats beyond the obvious cliches. What many may not realize is that we’re also nutritionists, maintenance men, tech support, and sometimes security guards. But do you know what you need to do to protect your family? Keep reading to find out how without going broke.
These jobs aren’t easy and they aren’t just for men. As moms we have to function in a chaotic world that has no boundaries. If you want to keep your family safe, without breaking the bank or losing your mind, might I suggest breaking down the task into five simple steps.
- Avoid
- Plan
- Prepare
- Secure
- Capture
Avoid Danger Through Common Sense
From day one we should be coaching our kids that the best way to avoid danger is by avoiding dangerous situations. The best part? It will cost you nothing. The worst part? There are a lot of moving pieces. But don’t get overwhelmed mamas, start with the basics. The basics that all children should be taught include:
- Avoiding Tricky People
- Having an Open Dialogue Regarding Internet Safety
- Safety in Numbers – The Buddy System
At the same time, children should be taught how to handle situations when they do arise. After all, they can’t avoid everything. What should they do if they are face-to-face with a shouting bully? What should they do if an adult asks for help? Teach your children to be assertive and talk through potential situations that might happen so that they feel confident in their ability to handle life’s challenges.
Have a Plan for Everything
Another freebie? Have a plan and practice your plan. All families should have a fire safety plan. This should include teaching your children from a young age the sound of your smoke alarm and how to react should the smoke alarm sound. If your children sleep above the ground floor, this plan should include the purchase of a fire ladder and instruction on how it’s used.
Proper fire safety measures are essential for protecting lives and property, making it crucial to stay proactive in fire prevention and emergency planning. You can find certified fire watch guards in Jacksonville or a place near you to help assess potential fire hazards and ensure your home is well-prepared for emergencies. Updated evacuation plans and proper fire extinguisher placement can further enhance your overall safety strategy.
Prepare by Channeling Your Inner Survivalist
Fire isn’t the only disaster you should prepare for. You should also prepare for natural disasters, which might occur when your children are at home, at school, or even in your car.
While I would never expect you to go all out Bear Grylls, I do expect you to have the basics.
- A First Aid Kit
- Enough Food for 72 Hours
- An Emergency Water Supply
- Lights & An Emergency Radio
I keep flashlights, a hand cranked radio, and helmets in my tornado closet, while emergency water and food are stored nearby. If you have a child that requires medication, an emergency supply should also be stored near other emergency supplies.
Secure Your Home
Preparing your children to stay safe outside of your home is important, but you should also provide a secure environment to protect your family at home. Security alarms can do far more than monitor for break-ins. They can also monitor for fire, carbon monoxide, and floods. Some systems add remote capabilities to help you keep track of your kids. For example, the system can text you when your kids arrive home from school and it can do even more when tied into fun gadgets like the Skybell Smart Doorbell, August Smart Lock, and the Nest Learning Thermostat. You can also add home security cameras to your security system that can be trained to start recording when events are detected.
Capture Evidence, Just in Case
Of course, to save money, you can purchase and monitor your own home security camera, like Canary. Not only can you remote in to live stream at anytime, but you can record footage if it detects a motion event, just like the cameras tied to a monitored home security system. The captured footage is stored in the cloud so it’s safe, even if an intruder finds and smashes your camera.
While it’s best to avoid dangerous situations, sometimes things happen. Because of life. Wearing the hat of security guard is one of the many joys of motherhood and it’s a necessary evil. But with a little planning, I know you will do the job and do it well. What tips do you have for keeping your family safe?
