Kids Home Security Tips for Back-to-School

Fall is here, and the school year is well underway! It’s a busy, exciting time for many families as the season changes and schoolyear activities pick up. But with more comings and goings from the house, it’s also a perfect time to instill kids home security best practices in your home.

Shorter days and darker nights in Southern California can provide more opportunities for potential criminals to take advantage. Take the necessary precautions and get the most out of your security system to ensure your family stays safe and protected during this back-to-school season.

Create Simple and Safe Security Routines

Busy back-to-school days can make your home feel like a constantly revolving door. Between making the bus and starting your workday on time and after-school activities like sports and clubs, there are likely many more short trips away from your home.

With changes and disruptions to your summer routine, something as simple as arming your security system can get overlooked.

Create a simple security routine for every family member when they arrive:

• Disarm your system upon entering and reset to the “Armed Stay” setting.
• Lock all doors behind you when leaving and entering. Don’t forget to double-check! Consider adding smart locks to your home to check your lock status when you’re away and remotely lock/unlock your door.
• Teach your children how to lock and unlock windows; if you open a window for fresh air, don’t leave it unattended. Always make sure to close and lock windows before leaving the house.
• Explain emergency contact information to your children and keep it somewhere visible, like the fridge or a bulletin board.
• Always arm your system when leaving the house, no matter how long you’re away.

Simplify Your Safety with Security Upgrades

With professional installation, your security system motion sensors should be well placed on your home’s first and second floors on all doors, windows, and other entry points. Second-story home break-ins are becoming increasingly common. Adding an extra layer of protection with motion sensors and glass break detectors on second-story windows can act as an additional deterrent.

Glass break detectors are only operational when your security system is armed. If glass breaks while you’re not at home, the sensors pick up the sound and activate the alarm system as a response (as long as the system is armed).

Consider additional upgrades and smart home features to get the most out of your back-to-school protection.

Back-to-School Smart Home Features

The total control of smart home security allows you to take your safety routine to the next level. For instance, instead of manually managing every aspect of your system, you can easily set rules and schedules:

• Set rules to arm your system automatically at certain times of day, like your usual leave time for school and work.
• Schedule indoor and outdoor lights to keep your home and property illuminated, whether you’re at home or not.
• Ease your mind on the go by double-checking that your system is armed and all doors are locked from the convenience of a single app.

Smart Locks for Kids Home Security

The days of hiding a key under the doormat or inside a planter are long gone. With smart locks, you can easily control who has access to your home and when with unique and temporary access codes for family members or guests, plus additional features like:

• Remote locking and unlocking and activity notifications ensure home-alone kids lock the door behind them.
• Smart speaker voice control ensures only family and welcome guests gain access.
• Unique access codes avoid the risk of lost keys and allow for monitoring of entry times for different family members.

Utilize Security Cameras

Security cameras are another way to monitor your home and family when you can’t be there. Doorbell cameras let you monitor your front door to ensure everyone is home from school or sports practices when they’re supposed to be.

Indoor motion sensor cameras with two-way voice control allow you to check in on everyone in the home. Plus, you can manage video surveillance and your other smart home schedules directly in one app.

Shields Up. Since 1956.

The back-to-school season should be a time of fun and excitement for the whole family. Going the extra mile to instill best practices in kids home security ensures that this season stays safe.

Post Alarm has always been a local, family-owned company, and we plan on staying that way. As a privately held, third-generation family business, Post has provided Alarm and Patrol Services to communities, neighborhoods, and homeowners since 1956.

Our family founded Post Alarm with a passion for protecting people and the neighborhoods we call home. Now, we’re one of the only local, full-service security organizations in Southern California. We provide professionally installed, fully integrated, customized security solutions that result in earlier threat detection and synchronized response, getting you help faster when it matters most.

Ready to start building your custom home security package? Reach out and get a free security quote today!