An issue of safety--should I make a big deal out of this?

[mamacita]

Remember if a criminal can’t shatter a window I would bet the fire department (or yourself) can’t either.

**
oh, good point, kind of scary if there was a fire and my kids are upstairs and I am downstairs and I can’t break their window from outside. However I guess they can still open up the window (my kids that is ). But the fireman on the otherhand, I don’t know will there ax or whatever it is work to break through it ? But what would keep a burglars ax from working then too?**

 

[dixieagle]

So sad that we have to even think seriously about things like this happening, isn’t it? All we can do is the best under the circumstances.

Make sure your windows have good locks; make sure they cannot be opened from the outside by an intruder (you can put in small screws to prevent the windows being raised - I’m sure instructions are online somewhere) but can open from the inside in case of fire.

Put deadbolts on all doors (and NOT the kind that has a knob that can be turned by someone who breaks the glass on the side of a door - make sure they require a key on either side.)

Keep your shrubbery trimmed so that no one can easily hide. There are inexpensive motion sensors that will trip a light when someone moves around in the yard - a great little investment.

Make sure that there is a deadbolt on the door between your garage and the main house. We have an alarm system (not hooked up to the police or anything, but that emits a loud “beep” when any door or window is opened. We also have stickers and a sign.) The tips to make sure that no one can see into the first floor bedrooms are very sensible.

Keep a charged cell phone in each bedroom for calling 911 if necessary and in the unlikely event phone lines are cut.

Teach your children to be aware of strangers, and sensitive to anything out of the ordinary - strange cars in the neighborhood, etc.

The dog is a great idea; we have a small Jack Russell mix who yaps her head off at any perceived threat - a great early warning system.

I’m pretty anti-gun, as I know I would be more likely to shoot myself than an intruder and have serious concerns about a loaded gun in a house with children. But, you have to decide that for yourself.

If it’s not possible to all sleep on the same floor of the house then it’s not possible. Again, do what you can do - and maintain perspective - be realistic about the actual risk or you can drive yourself crazy. The holy water and prayers to Michael the Archangel, guardian angels, etc., are great places to start!

Peace!

 

[leonie]

Motion lights are a good idea. uch: Why didn’t I think of that?!

 

[Robaynne]

Can I ask this question do you believe in GOD. Do you have faith in him. God will provide for all you needs. He will love you, protect you, keep you safe. Have you prayed and asked him for guidance for what you need to do in this situation.

Yes, bad things do happen. But we need to stand together and pray about these situation and pray that these things do not happen to us. In my country alot of things have been happening to children. There have been so many children kidnapped, some sick people think that by having sex with a young innocent child will cure them from AIDS, rape, murder etc.

I have small kids and I used to worry so much. But I have decided to not let circumstances or situations out there determine how I should live my life. As long as I have God in my life and I have faith, hope and belief nothing is going to happen to my kids or me. The blood of Jesus will protect them and me from the top of our heads to the souls of our feet. And I stand in agreement with that everyday of my life.

Everynight when I go to bed I pray this pray. Everyday when the kids and I leave the house. Nobody is going to break into my house, nobody is going to hurt my kids. And having the best alarm systems, dogs, guns etc is not going to change anything. Becoz if a criminal really wants to get into your home he/she will.

I cannot allow my insecurities rub off onto my kids then they will be afraid of everything and anything. I do not have an alarm system, dog, gun etc. I am a single mother with two kids and I have learnt that in this dog eats dog world you have to be strong and not allow wordly things to dictate how we should live our lives. Then really we will be afraid of everything.

You have been given alot of advice. My advice to you is pray to God and ask him for guidance. He will guide you in the right direction. Get your home blessed and keep praying. That is your home and your kids home and if you moved everytime something happens in the neighbourhood what stability would you have. Getting a dog what if you are not a pet person then you and the dog end up suffering. Getting a gun you have kids in your house and now you are going to have to worry about that in the house. Paying money for an alarm you cannot afford.

But I will keep you and your family in my prayers. And I hope and pray that you will get the answers that you need.

 

[rayne89]

Put deadbolts on all doors (and NOT the kind that has a knob that can be turned by someone who breaks the glass on the side of a door - make sure they require a key on either side.)

I’ve heard these are dangerous incase of a fire. What if you or a child need to make a quick exit?

Leonie you could also set up a (baby) monitor in your daughter’s room for the time being to give youself some peace of mind.

 

[dixieagle]

I’ve heard these are dangerous incase of a fire. What if you or a child need to make a quick exit?

Leonie you could also set up a (baby) monitor in your daughter’s room for the time being to give youself some peace of mind.

We leave a key under the mat right INSIDE our doors (and on a hook by our back door) so that we always know exactly where it is. It is so very easy for someone outside to break the glass, either in a glass-paned door, or the glass on either side of a front door, reach in and turn the knob (unless you have unbreakable glass, in which case I’d breathe easier.)

I am a big believe in light, light and more light. In addition to the motion sensors, there are inexpensive lights that can be put in the ground and come on at dusk. They seem bright enough to deter an intruder, but not so bright as to keep someone inside awake.

The baby monitor is an excellent idea.

 

[ack]

I still don’t like the sound of this. You may know where the key is now, but could you find the key (and get it into the keyhole) while standing in a smoke-filled room, blinded and unable to breathe? Smoke is no laughing matter – it can sear your lungs, make breathing impossible, and knock you unconscious quickly. The few extra seconds it takes to fumble with the key could be the difference between life and death.

Besides, if someone breaks a window to undo your deadbolt, then they could just knock the rest of the glass away and climb in through the window anyway.

Putting bars on your windows would be a safer and more effective way of stopping intruders…

We leave a key under the mat right INSIDE our doors (and on a hook by our back door) so that we always know exactly where it is. It is so very easy for someone outside to break the glass, either in a glass-paned door, or the glass on either side of a front door, reach in and turn the knob (unless you have unbreakable glass, in which case I’d breathe easier.)

I am a big believe in light, light and more light. In addition to the motion sensors, there are inexpensive lights that can be put in the ground and come on at dusk. They seem bright enough to deter an intruder, but not so bright as to keep someone inside awake.

The baby monitor is an excellent idea.

 

[dixieagle]

I still don’t like the sound of this. You may know where the key is now, but could you find the key (and get it into the keyhole) while standing in a smoke-filled room, blinded and unable to breathe? Smoke is no laughing matter – it can sear your lungs, make breathing impossible, and knock you unconscious quickly. The few extra seconds it takes to fumble with the key could be the difference between life and death.

Besides, if someone breaks a window to undo your deadbolt, then they could just knock the rest of the glass away and climb in through the window anyway.

Putting bars on your windows would be a safer and more effective way of stopping intruders…

In case of a fire, family members would execute the plan they have devised for this eventuality…absolutely necessary to have such a plan! (And do we all have working smoke alarms with batteries changed regularly?)

If they are in their bedrooms, then likely they would go out a window (bars on windows are notoriously dangerous in this situation and generally advised against…fine perhaps for a store or commercial building where no one is sleeping, but not for a home.) The screws on the inside of bedroom windows which can keep the window from opening from the outside should be easy to remove in case escape is needed. For those on a higher floor, perhaps a rope ladder (we’ve always been all on one floor, so the ladder hasn’t been necessary.)

With regard to the doors/deadbolts; the glass on either side of a door generally isn’t very wide; we’ve never had a door that would allow an intruder to climb through, unless he was a stick figure! If there is no glass, then leaving the key in the INSIDE deadbolt lock for easy exit works. If that makes you nervous, then a strong sliding lock can be installed (old-fashioned but effective) in addition to a good deadbolt that has a keyhole outside/doorknob inside. There are ways to be safe from intruders AND fire.

What we are talking about is maximizing the safety features of your own home to the best of your ability, without radically overreacting in the process. You want to slow down an intruder to the point where he will find it not worth the trouble; in the case of child predators, as the OP is worried about, that means moving the child away from an easily accessible area, if possible, and making sure that the child can get out in case of a fire but an intruder finds entry difficult. Our homes are all different, so there is no one good solution. Plenty of light, deadbolts with keys accessible to you, trimmed shrubbery, alarms if possible and stickers/signs, a yappy dog, and, most of all, awareness of our surroundings are the things that will work together to keep us safe, with a healthy dose of St. Michael and guardian angels!

(My husband is in a position where he has worked closely for years with law enforcement agencies, from the FBI to local police and sheriffs, hence he has garnered LOTS of good info. NO BARS ON WINDOWS!)

Blessings.

 

[kardelea]

I just wanted to say that I am also from Indiana and remember hearing about your friend’s family on the local news. We have been praying for this little girl and her family.

I hope you can find peace of mind about this. There’s nothing failproof we can do to protect our families, but it’s still important to take reasonable precautions. We don’t have an alarm system in our home, though DH and I have been considering lately whether we should install one. We do have a cocker spaniel that we love. She will certainly allert us if anyone is near the house, and she’s great to have around. I bet your kids would be thrilled if you got a dog!

 

[holly_potter]

My self defense teacher (a guy) says that women have a GREAT sense of intuition–they can sense a dangerous situation far ahead of time, and if they follow their gut feeling, then they’re usually safer. But guys on the other hand, he said, are all macho, and believe their immune to danger and/or think they can fight off any attackers.

Your story reminded me of my class. So, I’d say, go with your intuition. Your guardian angel (and your daughter’s) must be tapping you on your shoulder, and bless you for noticing them!

Poodles are great dogs, family-wise, but terriers can be more ferocious with strangers. I have one of each, and maybe it’s just temperment, but the poodle barks and the terrier actually gets into action, when it’s just a brother or my dad’s who pretending to hit me (they like driving them crazy )

Alarm stickers and signs (don’t go overboard) are also effective. My teacher said that they’re more likely to try to break into a house that doesn’t have these things. True, you may not really have an alarm, but they don’t know that, and most people don’t want to try to find out.

Guns are nice, too, but they scare me! My teacher said that he knew this one guy who slept with a gun by his bedside. He had young kids, and just told them not to touch it. Obviously, my teacher didn’t advocate it, but still…sometimes having an unloaded gun could be deterrent enough? Train your daughter to use Mace, maybe as well.

That’s all we’ve learned in two days of classes so far, but I hope it helps.

 

[ack]

Obviously, my teacher didn’t advocate it, but still…sometimes having an unloaded gun could be deterrent enough?

Not a good idea, in my opinion. If you point a gun at an armed intruder, he’ll shoot you instantly, in self-defense. If you don’t have a gun, he might let you go, to avoid a murder investigation.

Don’t get a gun unless you’re willing and able to shoot an intruder and hit him with your first shot.

 

[ack]

With regard to the doors/deadbolts; the glass on either side of a door generally isn’t very wide; we’ve never had a door that would allow an intruder to climb through, unless he was a stick figure!

I guess I don’t understand what kind of glass you’re talking about. I was envisioning a large window that was close enough to the door that someone could reach over and unlock the door.

Are you saying that the glass is in the door itself? If so, I would just get a new, solid door, and not have to worry about intruders OR fires.

I’ve also seen gates mounted in front of doors that would stop someone from kicking the door in. These gates are easy to open from the inside.

 

[Altesse]

A large well trained dog is one of the best crime deterrents you can have. You need to invest in the fence, training and a dog from a reputable breeder.

I am particular to rottweilers, the good ones are awesome. (top notch breeding + consistent training = excellent dog). They are a big responsibility. But a well bred, well trained rott is (IMO) the best protection money can buy. They only act when needed, and only to the extent necessary.

They love children and will take it upon themselves to guard them with their lives. You kids coun’t be in better hands (er, paws )

Only get one if you are willing and able to make the committment, financially, emotionally and time.

Otherwise a small to mid-sized terrier type is good (Norwich/Norfolk terriers are lovely.) An organic, interactive alarm system!

Take firearms training and consider arming yourself. Again, responsibility is the key. Safe storage is vital. Probably want to wait until kids are old enough to take firearms safety classes.

Dog is better than gun if you have little ones. You can always recall a dog, you can’t recall a bullet.

That and get everyone off the main level of the house and kids toward the back. It just isn’t worth the risk.

 

[leonie]

To my great surprise (and shame–how could I doubt him), my wonderful dh has agreed to trade bedrooms for a trial period. Woo hoo. What a great relief. :extrahappy: