It’s that time of the year again. The weather is starting to cool off, the summer holidays are winding down, and children of all ages are headed back to school. In a previous post, we shared different ways to keep your children safe as they return to school. But what about after school? How can you help keep your child safe once the closing bell rings? In this post, we’re sharing our top eight after school safety tips.
Top Eight After School Safety Tips
Set Clear Expectations
Talk to Your Kids About Stranger Danger
Set Up a Check-in System
Know Their After School Plans
Keep An Eye on Social Media
Have a Safety Plan in Place for School Emergencies
Review Bus Safety Etiquette
Use a Home Security System to Ensure a Safe Arrival Home
Set Clear Expectations
It can be easy for kids to dismiss the dangers of safely getting home from school or being alone after school for a few hours. Therefore, you need to set some ground rules and communicate those ground rules over and over and over and over… you get the picture.
Make sure these rules are easy to understand and even easier to follow. Quiz your child regularly to ensure they know their after-school expectations and why it’s vital to stick to them.
Talk to Your Kids About Stranger Danger
This is a meaningful conversation to have with your kids, no matter their age. You don’t need to scare them, but you do need to make sure they know what to do if a stranger approaches them. Talk to them about what to do if they feel like they’re being followed or if someone tries to lure them into a car. Let them know it’s okay to scream, fight, run, and make a scene in these situations – it might just save their life.
Set Up a Check-in System
After your kids leave school, have them check in with you or another trusted adult. This can be done via text, phone call, or even a quick stop at home. This way, you’ll always know where they are and that they’re safe.
Know Their After School Plans
Before school starts, sit down with your kids to review their after-school plans. Younger kids must understand who is picking them up or meeting them at the bus stop. If they are going into an after-school program, be sure they know the adults running the program and where they need to go every day.
For older kids who are more independent, it’s crucial to know where they are going after school, who they are with, and what time they’re expected to be home. Knowing these things in advance can help you keep track of them and ensure they’re safe.
Keep an Eye on Social Media
Pay attention to who they’re talking to and what they post on their social media channels. Respect your child’s privacy but be mindful of how your kids engage on social media, including connecting with them on all social platforms. If you see anything that makes you concerned, don’t hesitate to contact their school or the police.
This includes following their accounts and keeping tabs on any local or popular hashtags that may provide insight into any incidences or activities outside of the norm.
Have a Safety Plan in Place
If your child ever finds themselves in a dangerous situation, they must know what to do. Sit down with them and develop a safety plan they can use if they ever feel they’re being followed or someone tries to hurt them. This could include actions like running to a safe place or calling 911.
Review Bus Safety Etiquette
If your child takes the bus home from school, review the safety rules with them. If they’re walking home from the bust stop, review the route with them and make sure they know to stay in well-lit areas and not talk to strangers.
Use a Home Security System to Ensure a Safe Arrival Home
If you have a home security system, make sure it’s turned on and set up to send you notifications when your child arrives home from school. You can also set up automatic alerts for when they leave the house, so you know if they’re headed somewhere after they get home from school.
Our 180° indoor camera system allows you to keep an eye on your kids coming home and supports two-way communication! With a CPI camera, you can check in with your kids verbally through the smart camera, ask them about their day, confirm plans, and ensure that everything is okay the second they return home. With the CPI Smart door lock, each child could have their own unique code to get in the house. When they unlock the door, you’ll get an alert via the InTouch app, then can lock the door behind them even if you aren’t home.
By following these after-school safety tips, you can help ensure your kids’ safety both in and out of school. While you can’t be with them every minute of the day, these tips will give you peace of mind knowing that you’re doing everything you can to keep them safe. For more information on keeping your family safe, contact CPI today.
