Keeping Your Home Security System From Your Kids
Can your home security system withstand rough handling from your curious kids? Learn the tips to keep it safe and functional.
Kids are naturally curious creatures. It’s just their way to learn and appreciate things and parents are actually more than happy to accommodate them. However, there are times when children’s active and healthy curiosity is not always appreciated, especially if they tend to damage items around the house. And your home security system may just be on their list. To keep it safe from kids’ curious minds AND hands, here are tips you can use:
Keep the home security system out of kids’ reach
In the hands of a curious two-year old, this system will survive, no matter how well-constructed it is. Little hands always have a way to get in between metal seams and around the tiniest screws. Pretty soon, settings on your home security system will mysteriously change or the system itself will begin to malfunction.
To keep kids’ curious minds and hands away from your home security system, have it installed at a location that is out of their reach. An active two-year-old, for example, will find it impossible to reach the gadget if it’s installed three to four feet above his reach. If it’s out of his eye level, this system may just remain safely ignored for several years.
Keep the home security system inside a cabinet
Most homeowners keep the main panel of their home security system inside a cabinet. Be careful in choosing the location for the panel and make sure it is out of reach of your kids. A sturdy wooden or steel cabinet equipped with a lock will keep curious hands and minds away. If you have older children, keep the keys to the cabinet in a place where they will not be found easily.
Familiarize them with the system
Kids are so curious they will tear or take apart things around the house just so they will understand how things work. By doing so, they often damage items, particularly electronics. In some cases, though, kids will often leave an item alone after they’ve familiarized themselves with it.
A good technique to try with older kids is to introduce them to the home security system while it is being installed. Explain what it is, how it works and why your home needs one. Once kids understand how important the system is, they will be less likely to try to take it apart or play with it.
Keep kids in mind when designing the layout for a more complicated home security system
Look for ‘kid-safe’ areas and nooks in the home where you wish your system installed. Get on your knees (crawl if you have to) so you can see the room from your child’s point of view. If you can see a component of your system and get to it from where you are, your child will, too. Try to plan the installation based on your kids’ limitations to minimize the risk that your tiny toddler will damage your expensive home security system.
Tags: family safety, Home Security, security