Keeping your family safe and happy in the modern day is potentially easier than it used to be, but there are also more ways that safety can be compromised. For example, there are many smart devices and features that can potentially keep a family safe, but at the same time, the internet and other advancements in technology can be a safety concern.
Below, we’ll take a look at 10 modern ways you can keep your family safe and healthy. Take a look and you should have peace of mind now and in the future:
1. Download Apps
There are many apps available that could help you to keep your family safe. There are apps that can help you to see where your child is or has been that day, apps you can use to see what’s going on in your home when you’re not there, and more. It all depends on what you deem to be useful to you and your family, so do your research and see which apps could be useful.
2. Encourage Open Communication
Open communication between you and your kids is important, as it’ll encourage them to tell you if something is going on. It can be difficult to foster open communication. They won’t feel comfortable being honest with you if they know you overreact or can’t control your emotions. They won’t even like telling you if they know you worry, as they won’t want to be the reason for your worries. You need to do your best to listen without judgment so you can give your child what they need and make sure they are honest with you about the important stuff.
3. Talk To Your Children About Online Safety
Online safety is crucial when most people spend a huge portion of their lives online. Kids might be playing online games, using social media, or doing their homework - whatever they are doing, online safety is crucial. They might click on a pop-up, share information that they shouldn’t online, speak to strangers, or do something even more dangerous. Making sure they know what is acceptable and what isn't is a must as soon as they are old enough to use the internet.
4. Equip Your House With Modern Safety Features
Make sure your home is equipped with modern safety features designed to keep everybody safe. CCTV is simple to install and will help you to identify a thief or other criminal. You could also go and find out why Medical Guardian is the best medical alert system if you have elderly parents living with you, as this can help in the event of a trip or a fall. There are all kinds of modern safety features, from smart thermostats to smart lighting, and even a whole integrated smart system.
5. Look After Your Physical Health Together
Keeping your family safe and healthy by looking after your physical health is another great step to take. Doing it together will help you to bond while keeping you healthy. You can do almost any exercise you like, whether you’re just going hiking, swimming, or something else.
6. Teach The Importance Of Mental Health
Mental health is also important, so ensure you make this a topic of discussion in your family and do what you can to improve it, too. Mental health is still considered taboo by some, but it shouldn’t be. We should all be taking care of our mental health, as we all have the potential to ‘snap’ depending on the situation. Just because you don’t have a ‘serious’ mental health issue like schizophrenia, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make sure you aren't suffering from stress, for example.
Teaching your family that mental health is just as important as physical health is imperative to their long term wellbeing. If you can teach your kids this lesson as young as possible, they will likely grow up to be more well-rounded adults with a healthier outlook on life.
7. Take Self Defense Classes
Self defense classes could be a great way for you and your family to stay healthy together, as mentioned previously. Plus, you’ll have the skills needed to potentially fend off an attack if something happens. Not only is a martial art an impressive skill and hobby, it’s something that will give you peace of mind when you’re out or your children are out.
8. Keep The House Clean
Keeping the house clean might sound super simple and a little patronizing, but making sure it’s done properly and regularly can save you and your family a lot of trouble. Making sure you split the chores in a way that is easy for everybody and suitable for the various age ranges will make things much more manageable. You could put up a rota to make sure everybody takes a turn doing their fair share.
9. Teach Good Hygiene
Teaching kids good hygiene and why it’s important from a very young age could help stop germs from spreading. Kids tend to spread illnesses like wildfire. If they don’t wash their hands and they touch almost everything they see, you’re going to have a problem. Teaching them the importance of handwashing and doing it properly will stop them from spreading so many germs.
10. Have A Plan
Make sure you have a plan to get out of the house in the event of an emergency. Practice it as a family and discuss it regularly so that if something does happen, everybody knows exactly what to do. For example, some of the kids may need to be prepared to jump out of their own windows, depending on the problem. You might have some other protocol if you are all able to meet in one area of the home and evacuate together. Discussing every eventuality is key.
It can also be a good idea to discuss a plan with your kids for times they may be in a situation they want to get out of. For example, they could send you a text with a codeword in it, and you could call them and tell them you’re coming to get them immediately with a made-up excuse. This can stop your kids from getting themselves into dangerous situations, but sometimes this only works if you promise not to integrate them afterward.
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