July holiday safety tips
JOBURG - Leaving children at home during the July holidays can be a stressful task for parents but ADT has some tips to ensure their safety.
“It is important that children know to always keep entry and exit doors locked and that no one is to enter the home without their parents’ permission,” advised Clive Humphrey, managing director of ADT central region.
“If you have a home security system installed teach your children how to activate and de-activate it and how and when to use other security devices like panic buttons.”
Humphrey added that is a good idea to have a list of emergency numbers near the telephone and to explain to children when and how to use them.
Humphrey said that the cold weather in July means that older children are often confined to the indoors and boredom quickly sets, which will often lead to them visiting friends who live in the neighbourhood. “If you are not able to drop your child off or arrange a lift for them, you should walk the route with them before they do it on their own,” Humphrey advised parents. “Explain that it is better to take a longer route down familiar streets where there is more activity than taking short-cuts across fields or through deserted areas or roads.”
Humphrey explained that shopping malls are far busier during the school holidays so if children are going to a movie or to meet friends they need to look after their belongings and to look out for each other. “Busy malls present a prime opportunity for pick-pockets,” he said. “Teach your children to hold on tightly to their handbags, wallets and cellphones.”
“It is also important that if they become separated from their friends, they head straight to the mall information desk or to security and try to track them down from there,” Humphrey added.
