Depending on your neighborhood, your children will come into contact or witness some scary things. Some areas are better than others when it comes to crime and violence. Some neighborhoods simply have more welcoming and even more civilized people than others. So you may know how to handle yourself and stay out of harm’s way, but do your children? Essentially, you have to teach your children how to avoid certain things and be safe while they’re at home and or around in the neighborhood. Teaching your children ‘street smarts’ could save them from a lot of trouble in the future. But if you yourself are not really privy to such a way of life, then how do you let your children know what to avoid? That’s why you’re reading…
An aggressive dog
Some people don’t train their dogs to be kind and docile. They allow the dog’s natural behavior of aggression and violence to run rampant. If there’s a vicious dog in your neighborhood, your children should be wary of its presence. One day while your children are in the car, show them where the dog is i.e. where the owner lives. Make sure they know what the house looks like so they can easily recognize it among the others. Dogs will attack smaller dogs and children sometimes if they’re not properly trained. Tell them to cross the street and walk past the house on the other side of the road to avoid the dog. You never know if the dog will be chained or loose, thus, keeping out of sight of the dog is prudent.
See who it is
Never leave your kids home alone because they have to fend for themselves should someone try to get inside. However, even if they’re at home with you, you must show them proper safety and front door etiquette. After you install a top range system from trusted alarm companies, show them how to operate the video and chat features. Not only can the children see who’s outside the front door via the doorbell or outdoor camera, but they can also use a microphone to talk with that person. If your children don’t recognize who the person is, they should always use the talk function to ask the person who they are and why they are knocking on the door. Then they can relay that information to you before you allow your children to open the door. So many parents leave front door etiquette at an ignorant nonchalant level in their households. This puts children in danger of opening the door for a bad guy even with you at home.
Street sports
Even in this day and age, many local children will get together to play. Street hockey and urban baseball are still popular sports and activities for children. This means they will be playing on a public road. Inform your children that playing in the street even when there doesn’t seem to be a lot of traffic around, is incredibly dangerous and that they should always decline the offer to participate from the other children.
Parents must encourage their children to never open the door unless they’re sure of who’s on the other side. With a modern camera security system, your children can doublecheck.