As a dad, you probably worry about a whole lot of things at home, especially if you are working away for most of the day. Setting up security cameras around your house can provide you a set of virtual eyes. This way, when you are gone, you can still see what’s going on in and around your house.
You know how paranoid you can get leaving your kids home alone or with someone, say a babysitter, with whom you haven’t yet established that certain level of trust.
And with all the reports about home break-ins in some areas, setting up better home security is something that you should consider.
But setting up security cameras at home isn’t the be-all-and-end-all of securing your home. There are other more practical things you can do to make your home a safer place for your kids when you have to leave them alone or with other people, or when you are leaving your home empty when you need to go somewhere.
Below are some home security tips for dads on the go:
Invest in outdoor lighting
Sufficient outdoor lighting is an effective intruder deterrent. Your home’s doors, windows, and dark corners outdoors should be installed with lighting equipment so there’s no place for burglars to hide.
If you want this lighting to be truly effective, it needs to be bright and have the correct motion control on it. That way, you can be sure that it will be trustworthy and keep your home secure.
Keep the doors locked
This one is a no-brainer, but something some dads tend to take for granted or forget, especially when they are in a hurry. If you’ve got someone to double-check the doors for you, say your wife, that’s fine.
But what if she leaves for work earlier than you? And don’t just lock the doors.
If possible, invest in double locks for all your doors. This will make your home less inviting for intruders.
Also, when you leave, make sure your garage door fully shuts. It’s very common for something to accidentally block it from closing, and it opens right back up.
So, watch it actually close, which will only add a few seconds to your leave time.
Remember to lock all the windows
Some suggest that you should keep ground-floor windows locked, but what about the windows upstairs? Skilled intruders can easily climb up and sneak in through the windows upstairs.
It’s fairly easy to slide a window open, even for a small child. For added protection, you can set up special window bars so you can leave the window open to let fresh air in without you having to worry about anyone trying to slip in.
Use social media responsibly
It’s quite a common pitfall among active social media users, but posting your work schedule or the times when you’re not at home on Facebook is so tempting for intruders.
For all you know, someone could already be monitoring each of your Facebook or Twitter status updates for information that could give away your whereabouts.
Hide your keys in places only you should know
Hiding keys under the flower pot, beneath the doormat, or on top of the door frame is pretty obvious. Everyone does that, and that’s a dead giveaway.
Instead, hide your keys somewhere only you should know, like inside your bag, so you can bring them along with you.
Trim the bushes and trees around your home
Bushes and trees are lovely. Burglars think so, too. They are perfect hiding places for intruders.
Trim the bushes or replace them with plants that don’t grow too thick.