At Alarm Guard, it is our passion to protect families across Canada. One of the scariest times of year for parents is back to school time, because of the many challenges it can create for families, especially when it comes to safety. Having a safety plan for back to school is essential, and it can take a lot of the worry away from the parents and focus on the important aspects of back to school: education, and of course, fun! Here are some tips for back to school safety:

Have a Planned Route
Having a planned route to school, and sticking to it, is vital when it comes to knowing where your kids are and being able to trace their steps. If your child takes a bus to school, this can be significantly easier, as you just have to ensure that your child gets to a close by pick up spot where the bus driver will then safely commute them to school. School buses tend to be essential in rural areas and smaller cities, such as Abbottsford, British Columbia and Bradford, Ontario. Knowing how your kids get to school and planning out the route is even more important when they don’t take a bus to class. Kids in large cities such as Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto tend to walk to school, so it’s important to map out their exact route every day. They will be less likely to get lost, they will know their surroundings, and you will know which way they travelled if you ever need to trace their steps.

Keep Personal Information off of Social Media
You have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Which of these is the most secure when it comes to sharing your child’s personal information? The answer is an emphatic NONE. While it can be nice to post pictures of children online, it’s always a mistake to provide too many personal details that can make your children a target. Is your kid having their first night home alone while you have a date night? Never post that online! Are your kids going somewhere without supervision? Never post that online! Bad people can get your information, including your name, your picture and pictures of your kids, and use that information to try and take your child. Social media is a wonderful tool to communicate and stay connected, but it does not in any way make your child safer. Also, never, under any circumstances, post any type of safe word you may share with your child.

Ditch the Key
The term “latchkey kid” was popular for many years and described a child who came home unattended after school, often with a key attached around their neck, and had to be home alone until a parent returned from work. While it’s a reality that kids often have to stay at home for a time unattended while their parents are at work, advances in security mean that keys no longer have to be part of the equation. Setting up a home with a smart lock means that as a parent, you can completely control the door. If your child is coming home from school, you can unlock your door as they get there. How will you know it’s your child at home? You can easily add a doorbell camera, which gives you the ability to see the front door through a live stream 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This also means that you can help minimize the chances of something like a home invasion. Once your child is in the home, you can always have an indoor camera to ensure everything is copacetic. And you have the ability to remotely arm your home from your phone or tablet, which means that your child will be safe inside as you finish your work day. You should always teach your children to never open the front door to anyone, but a doorbell camera will also eliminate that need. With a doorbell camera, such as Skybell, you will get a notification as someone approaches your front door, and if they ring the doorbell, it will actually call your phone! This means you can virtually answer the door from anywhere in the world, seeing and speaking with whoever is there. This keeps your kid far away from the front door and safely nestled in your home.

Back to school is a stressful time, but taking away safety concerns makes things a little easier. For help with setting up smart security for your home, talk to one of our home security experts.

Call (855) 979-9224 today!