All the locks and alarms in the world are rendered useless in the hands of an uninformed child. I'm talking about children who haphazardly open doors to strangers without adult supervision.
It is the parents’ obligation to instill in their young ones the ABC's of home security.
Don't get caught up in complexities like “We don't want to scare our children” or “We don't want our children to grow up in an unsociable environment.” Let's not make an issue out of a simple demand.
It is never premature to educate your children about how to stay safe when answering the telephone, looking after siblings and opening the door. A preferred way to teach young children is by role-playing. I advise my clients to set up certain scenarios – for instance, the children are home alone and the doorbell rings; what should they do? Or there is a phone call – it's a stranger asking if the parents are home; now what? Depending on the age of the children and how well they do in the role-playing test, there may need to be changes in your current security measures.
Parents need to realize that despite their best efforts, there'll often be a child easily influenced because of his or her trusting ways. So assess each situation and stake out safety guidelines for your home. There might be a need for Mom and Dad to make drastic changes like working from home or investing in professional daycare.
In today’s world, you can't afford to under-staff your home's security. Leaving a young child in charge of your home, even for a short time, could be a dangerous proposition. It only takes a few seconds for a predator or burglar to make his or her move.
If you have a situation in your home where you have adult supervision but cannot break a youngster from opening doors, you do have choices – choices that won't cost an arm and a leg and will give you peace of mind knowing your child and home are safe.
Installing double-cylinder deadbolts (keyed both sides) will prevent young tots from opening doors. Of course, you should always keep a spare key close by the door in case of fire – but high enough so junior can't open the door. Another option is to install a second deadbolt high enough to prevent a youngster from turning it.
I would, however, discourage installing gate-type hook locks or chains at the tops of doors. Once a child opens the main deadbolt lock, your door security is breached. A gate-type hook lock or chain may prevent a child from escaping through the door but will offer little resistance to an intruder.
Some other child safety tips to remember around the home:
• Make sure car keys are out of reach of children. It's amazing how quick a child can grab your car keys and lock themselves inside your car or, worse, the trunk. Consider installing a trunk-release mechanism in case an emergency should arise.
• Install locks on your washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator and gas fireplace. Locks on medicine cabinets or drawers are important, as well.
• For inside doors, purchase finger-pinch guards to prevent junior from getting his or her fingers caught between the edge of the door and the jamb.
Frank Fourchalk is a security expert with 20 years in the business. Visit his website at yourhomesecurity.ca.
