If your children often come home from school while you are still at work, you may be wondering how your children will get inside the house. If your children are responsible, you might simply hand them a set of keys. However, if you aren't sure if your children can handle this responsibility, you might be creating a security hole in your home. Also, if your child loses his or her key, he or she will then be locked outside the home. Here are a few ways to minimize the risk of your child losing their house keys.
Recruit Help From A Trusted Neighbor
If you're concerned with your children losing the keys, consider giving a trusted neighbor an extra set of keys. In addition to solving the problem of your child being locked out, if you exchange keys with a trusted neighbor, you can run errands for each other, such as watering each other's plants. If you are not comfortable with your neighbor owning a set of keys, simply tell your children which neighbor is the best to visit so they can wait until you arrive home to let them inside.
Give Each Child A Key
If you have more than one child, make sure that each child has his or her own key. It is unlikely that they will both lose a key. However, once the key has been lost, you will either need to locate it or have it replaced. Contact your child's school to find out if any keys have turned up.
Explain The Danger Of Losing A Key
Teach your child about the danger of losing is or her keys. Explain that bad guys could get a hold of a lost key and come inside the house. If your children are very young, give them a fake set of keys to hold onto and ask them to show you the keys periodically. This way, your child can practice not losing his or her keys and you can develop a sense of whether you should give your child a real set of keys.
Consider Installing A Numerical Keypad
One solution is to allow your children to enter your home with a numerical keypad. This doesn't provide your child with anything that can be lost. Also, you do not have to worry about your child forgetting to lock the door if they must enter through a door that is set to close and lock automatically.
Connect The Lock To A Home Security System
Another way to make sure that your child has locked the door is to use home automation technology and to connect your home locks to your wired security system. Many wired security systems can detect whether the door is locked and allow you to lock the door remotely with a mobile device. Contact a locksmith for more information.
