Prepare and Practice Before the First Day with These Tips from Guardian Protection
PITTSBURGH – August 14 – With the final days of summer here, back-to-school season is in full swing as millions of students prepare to return to the classroom. In addition to shopping for new clothes and school supplies, the smart security experts at Guardian Protection remind parents to use these final days of summer to also prepare children with school-time safety lessons.
A recent U.S. Census report shows 7 million of the nation’s 38 million elementary and middle school-aged children are left home alone regularly. Even if a child isn’t home alone, they may walk alone to and from school, the bus or from an after-school activity. While individual states have laws governing at what age a minor can be left home alone, instilling valuable safety habits in children of all ages is a wise investment of time.
With a few simple instructions and a little bit of practice, children can feel confident being home alone for a few hours outside of the school day and parents will have peace of mind knowing their child is prepared in case of an emergency.
“Back to school is an exciting and sometimes hectic time of the year for both students and parents,” Kevin Bish, Vice President of Marketing for Guardian commented. “With all the preparations to return to the classroom, we encourage parents to also prepare their children for times when they may be alone before and after school.”
Guardian Protection offers these reminders and routines for families as the school year gets underway.
Establish Routines
With a new schedule comes new stress. Establish routines in advance so schedules run smoothly, and everyone knows where they need to be. Make sure your student knows their bus schedule and number, school arrival and dismissal times as well as any inclement weather schedules so they don’t find themselves alone at the school before it opens or because they’ve missed a bus. Post schedules for sports, after-school activities and other events in a common area of the house so everyone is aware of any schedule variations and the whereabouts of family members. Finally, set up a family text message for children with a cell phone so they can reach everyone at the same time with the same information should there be an issue.
Secure Your Home
In the rush to get everyone to work and school, it can be easy to forget to lock up, set the alarm system or secure other entrance points to your home. If you use a security system, maximize the tools and technology available to ensure your home is secure after leaving. With the Guardian App, homeowners can remotely lock doors, close a garage door, and turn off lights as well as receive notifications when a child does or doesn’t arrive home at an expected time, or if an alarm is triggered. With a monitored security system, make sure children know the code and the importance of not sharing it with anyone. Whether your child uses a key or keypad to enter the home, take the time to practice entering and exiting before the school year starts to give them extra confidence in their personal security.
Create Check-In Times
Even with all the safeguards in place, establish a check-in time after school or at other times when your child may be alone (traveling to an after-school activity or sports practice). In addition to the smart notifications available with a home security system, a simple text or call gives parents an extra layer of reassurance that their child is safe. Create a process for missed check-ins so that a child knows that if they don’t reach out or respond in a certain amount of time, that you will be alerting the school and/or police.
Back-to-school is a time to focus on education, and the activities and sports that enrich students’ lives. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about whether their child is safe at home or while attending an activity. That’s why it is important to spend a few hours in preparing a child for being alone well before they find themselves in that situation.
Learn more about monitored security benefits at www.guardianprotection.com. For more home security tips and other safety information, follow Guardian on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
About Guardian Protection
Guardian Protection is a premier provider of smart security and automation solutions for residential, commercial, institutional, and multi-site customers. Hundreds of thousands of customers trust Guardian’s award-winning monitoring services and in-house, U.S.-based customer care specialists. Founded in 1950, Guardian Protection is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 security companies in the U.S. and is the first company in history to be recognized twice as Security Company of the Year.
