With so much crime and theft happening in regular neighborhoods, it can be difficult for a parent to know how to protect their family. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to ensure your family stays safe both inside and outside of the home.
1. Improve Your Car’s Safety
Car accidents are one of the scariest and most common incidents that can negatively impact your family’s safety. One of the best ways to prevent accidents and keep your family safe is to update your car’s safety features. As a parent, it’s always a good idea to look for safety features when choosing a car. For instance, if you find a vehicle that combines automatic braking with rearview cameras and sensors, you can reportedly cut reverse crashes by 78%! Other safety features to consider include pedestrian detection, cruise control with stop-and-go, built-in dashcam footage, and lane drift alerts among others.
2. Increase Cybersecurity
As a parent, it’s important to find ways to protect your children against online predators, as well as protect family assets. Sadly, in the first half of 2019 alone, researchers believe that data breaches exposed over 4 billion records, putting countless people at risk of privacy breaches and lost assets. Some of the ways you can improve cybersecurity include installing a VPN into your network. A VPN makes it difficult for potential hackers to access your internet and is relatively inexpensive. In addition, it’s crucial to teach your children about the importance of staying safe online. Remind your children that it’s never okay to share personal information with strangers online. Stay alert for phishing scams and potential online threats.
3. Get Auto and Life Insurance
The CDC states there are well over 37,000 fatal accidents every single year. This is a scary statistic for any parent and shows just how important it is to have life insurance and auto insurance on hand. No one ever wants to think about their family being in an accident, but it’s always better to be prepared. Make sure you have both auto and life insurance so that your family is taken care of financially in the event of an accident.
4. Consider Home Security
Your home should be a safe haven for your family, but sometimes it can be hard to keep it secure. If you’re worried about potential break-ins, there are several steps you can take to increase security. For instance, you can install a home security system with cameras, so that you can keep an eye on things even when you’re not home. You can also install motion sensor lights around your property, which will deter burglars and make it easier for you to see if someone is lurking around. In addition, make sure all doors and windows are locked before you leave the house, even if you’re just going out for a short while.
5. Have a Safety Word or Phrase
If you have young children, it’s important to have a safety word or phrase that they can use if they’re ever in danger. This will help them know that they can trust the person they’re talking to, and will also help you feel reassured that your children are safe. You can choose any word or phrase you want, but make sure it’s something that your children will remember. In addition, make sure you talk to your kids about when and how to use the safety word or phrase.
6. Talk To Your Children Regularly About Safety
One of the best ways to keep your family safe is to talk to your children about safety on a regular basis. Regular conversations about safety will help them understand the importance of being safe, and will also help them know what to do if they’re ever in a dangerous situation. Some of the topics you might want to discuss include Stranger Danger, fire safety, what to do if they get lost, and what to do if they see something suspicious.
As a parent, it’s important to do everything you can to protect your family. By following these tips, you can help keep your family safe from harm.
