The school year is getting into full swing, and that means big changes at home. As you and your kids begin to make the transition from summer vacation into your school routine, it’s a great idea to review your family plan and teach your children some valuable safety precautions!
How to Have a Smooth Morning
During the summer, kids love getting to stay up past their usual bedtime. This can be fun for the whole family when they don’t need to wake up early, but a grumpy kiddo who didn’t get enough sleep can be difficult to motivate in the mornings. Try implementing an earlier bedtime to help ease them into a new sleeping schedule. This will make things easier on them when they really have to get up early.
Another way to make the mornings easier is to have the kids get ready for school the night before. When their books, pencils, and homework are already in their backpack and their clothes are already laid out, the mornings will be much less stressful for both of you! This will also give you more time to eat a good, nutritional breakfast to start the day right.
Safety when You’re not There
If your children walk to and from the bus stop or school, there are some valuable safety tips they should be refreshed on before the school year begins. Don’t forget to remind them to look both ways before crossing the street, to avoid talking to strangers, and to take routes that have a lot foot traffic.
You can also have your children install apps that allow you to track their location while they are walking to school. Apps like these can give you peace of mind knowing that your children arrived at school safely. When your kids come home after school, you can use a digital security system to alert you when they arrive, and you can remotely lock the doors behind them from your phone.
Whether the kids are walking to school or going out with friends on the weekend, teach them to use the buddy system. Always communicate and set expectations with them before they go out alone or with friends - remind them of their curfew, know where they are going, know who they are going with, and make sure they know your phone number in case of an emergency.
Even when your kids are home alone, you still have the ability to protect them and your home. You can remotely lock the doors and close the garage to ensure that nobody can sneak into your house or your garage. If somebody rings your doorbell while you’re away, you can see who is there with a doorbell camera. Better yet, you can even talk to the person on your front porch!
Creating a Family Safety Plan
Creating a plan for emergencies and natural disasters is critical. Most people tend to panic in high-stress situations, but having a well-thought-out plan ahead of time can help alleviate the anxiety.
Creating a family safety plan is easy! Find out the fastest, safest way to exit the house in case of an emergency - do this for each room in the house. No matter where your family members are during an emergency, they will know how to exit the house quickly and safely.
You can also teach your children where to go in case of a tornado. Remember, don’t choose a room with windows. Go to the lowest floor and find a small room near the center of the house - a closet or a bathroom works wonderfully. Educate your kids about tornados and tornado safety so that they are knowledgeable instead of fearful.
Technology has made it much easier to secure your house and protect your children. If you would like to know more about the technology that can make going back to school easier on you and your kids, give us a call - we would love to help!