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We know from our own and our customers’ experience that having children changes everything. Protecting your home and everyone in it is suddenly a top-of-mind concern in a way it wasn’t when you were a bachelor eating sandwiches over the sink. The Troy, MI home security alarm systems installed by Vigilante Security are a great solution if you want to take your home security a step further. Here are a few more things you should know about home security when you have kids.

How Old is Old Enough to be Home Alone?

Let’s start with a question on many parents’ minds: how old should my child be before I can leave them home alone? While some states have laws governing this, Michigan isn’t one of them. While Child Protective Services uses age ten as a guideline, even they admit there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. As a rule of thumb, you should evaluate how self-sufficient your child is, and how long they’ll be alone. If your child can take care of themselves, can make a phone call in case of emergency, and you’re only going to be gone for a few minutes, for instance, there’s a bit of wiggle room.

Keeping Kids Safe: Home Security Systems and Their Benefits

So what’s the place of your home security system in all of this? The systems installed by Vigilante Security can cover a wide range of threats. Here are just a few of the solutions we offer:

• Sensors and alarms that detect break-ins and unauthorized entry
• Environmental monitoring that detects events like elevated carbon monoxide levels, pipe breaks, and water leaks
• Smoke and fire detection systems that protect property and save lives
• Surveillance systems so you can keep tabs on your property and your kids even when you can’t be there
• Remote access so you can get activity alerts and video streams from anyplace with mobile access
• Smart home integrations so that everything in your home reinforces everything else
• 24/7/365 monitoring from a UL-listed central station so a response can be summoned in seconds

Don’t Forget the Fundamentals

Another thing worth bearing in mind: even a professionally installed security system that’s well designed and diligently used is a supplement to home security best practices, not a substitute. Make sure everyone in the family, young and old alike, is doing their part to stay safe.

• Help your kids build the habit of checking in when they arrive home or at a friend’s house via phone or text.
• Create a code word that friends and neighbors should use if someone has to pick your child up when you’re unable to.
• Know the kinds of emergencies you can face at home and plan for them.
• Once you have those plans, practice them. This includes role-playing 911 calls and practicing your fire escape plan.
• Look around when you arrive home. If something isn’t right — especially if the doors or windows show signs of tampering or are broken — don’t enter. Find a safe place and call the police.
• Lock the door behind you when you get home.
• The door should never be opened to someone you don’t know.
• Alarm codes should never be shared.
• Memorize key phone numbers. If you ever have to use a friend or neighbor’s phone to get help, you’ll need to know them.
• Going out of town? Don’t post about it on social media.
• Assemble a safety kit that has first aid supplies, a flashlight, batteries, and other essentials, and make sure everyone knows where it is and how to use it.

Home alarm monitoring systems aren’t just about keeping a building or your belongings safe. They’re meant to protect the health and life of all who live there. A custom security system designed, installed, and monitored by Vigilante Security can help preserve your peace of mind and protect what’s most important to you.