Latchkey Child Safety Tips

Louie Delaware, The Home Safety Guru, has created his Latchkey Child Safety tips. Here are some of them:

1. Remind your child, once they get home, to quickly close and lock the door.
2. Have them call you once they are inside the house to let you know they are safe.
3. If your child comes home to a door that is open, a window that is broken, or a ladder against a wall, tell them to not go in and instead go to a neighbor's home and call you.
4. Instruct them to not answer the phone unless they know who it is. If they do answer it and the person asks for their parent, instruct them to tell them that their parent is home but can't come to the phone.
5. Tell them to never open the door to someone who they are not familiar with. If someone does ring the doorbell or knocks, tell your child to be quiet until the person leaves, or, if they have to, have them talk through the locked door telling the person that their parent is home but can't come to the door.
6. Have a printed list of emergency contacts posted somewhere where your child can easily see it.
7. Make sure your child knows all of the phone numbers where you can be reached.8. Make sure that dangerous items are under lock and key, like alcohol, firearms, and poisons.