7 Home Security Tips for Single Mothers
Being a single mother is hard work. That’s because of the amount of responsibility that’s placed on your back–so much that it can be overwhelming. Today we’ll address one aspect in particular: How to secure your home. Keep reading to discover 7 home security tips for single mothers.
Certainly, when you’re a mother, you want to protect the integrity of your little ones as much as possible. Knowing a series of basic recommendations can make all the difference in terms of protection. That’s why today, we’re going to show you 7 things you can do to increase home security if you’re a single mother.
Home security tips for single mothers
Being a single mother doesn’t automatically expose you to greater episodes of property crime. However, the truth is that in some contexts, third parties may choose to target single-parent families believing that it’s easier to deal with the situation.
If you think your integrity’s at stake, learn what you can do to increase safety in the home of single mothers.
1. Install intelligent security systems
Immediately, people become self-conscious about entering a home that has a security system. Likewise, they choose to flee when it’s activated. It’s a perfect barrier, and many of them send an alert signal to the police so that they come to your home when any irregularity occurs.
2. Be careful about what you share on social networks
As experts point out, the information you share on social networks can lead to physical, mental, and emotional dangers. On the physical level, whoever accesses your profiles on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other networks can know exactly what you’re doing right now, who’s with you, where you live, and access detailed information to put your integrity at risk.
It’s no exaggeration to say that those who are very active on their social networks are more exposed to kidnapping, robbery, and extortion than those who are more reserved about it. Therefore, try not to share every detail of your life on these platforms. It only takes one click for a potential criminal to learn enough about you to be encouraged to break into your home.
3. Don’t stick to a routine
For decades, specialists have been warning of the danger of routine activities due to increased exposure to crime. Indeed, if you get up at the same time every day, leave home at a specific time, follow the same routes in your vehicle, and return at exactly the same time, you encourage criminals to learn each step of your daily routine.
In light of this, one of the best home security tips for single mothers is to avoid a routine life. Vary the routes you take to get your children to school and to work, as well as the routes you choose for shopping and sports. When someone detects that you follow a pattern every day, it’s easier to follow you back and track you home.
4. Notify a trusted neighbor
Whether you’re home or not, a trusted neighbor is a great help in sounding the alarm when you can’t. He or she can warn of strange noises when you’re away, of suspects apparently watching your home, and in extreme cases, they can call the police if someone has entered your residence.
A helping hand is always welcome in these contexts, especially when it comes to home security for single mothers. Exchange phone numbers with your neighbors and build mutual support with them to ensure each other’s safety. Knowing that you have the support of someone who’s just a few meters away translates into greater psychological well-being.
5. Keep your cell phone and keys always near your bed.
You probably already do this, but if you don’t, start making it a habit in your daily life. It’s essential that you have your cell phone available to perform certain maneuvers for your own safety. With this device, you can do the following:
- Turn on your vehicle alarm to give an alert signal
- Inspect the security cameras you’ve installed in search of anomalies
- Activate the alarms of your security system
- Make a call to the corresponding authorities
- Communicate with your neighbors and loved ones
- Activate exterior or interior lights with the push of a button
These are some of the advantages of having your cell phone at hand. Your car keys and home keys can also be of help, especially if for some reason you need to leave your home quickly. This is one of the simplest home security tips for single mothers, but one that can make a radical difference in your family’s integrity.
6. Be discreet with the disposal of shopping bags and boxes
This is another tip about your habits that has a direct impact on a single mother’s home security. What you throw out says a lot more about you than you think, you just don’t stop to think about it. It reveals things like where you’ve been recently, your routine, and of course, your current economic level.
Whoever wants to penetrate your home illicitly does so looking for something in return. Generally, they do it for material goods or money. If you put boxes and packaging in the trash that suggest that you’ve bought a new television, a computer, or other objects of a certain value, you’re only encouraging criminals to enter your home.
7. Block access to your property
A basic tip for increasing security in the single mother’s home is to lock the entrances and renew them when appropriate. The above seems like a no-brainer, but sometimes no-brainers are overlooked. A fortuitous oversight in not closing the door or not locking the lock can be very costly.
It’s also a good idea to change your locks when you suspect someone has tried to pick it, when you’ve lost your keys, when you think someone might have a copy, or when you simply think you’ll feel safer doing so. It’s a basic way to protect you and your children.
There’s no 100% effective way to ensure home security for single mothers. However, these tips can reduce the chances of exposing yourself to unpleasant situations. As we’ve already warned you, the odds are already low, but these tips will make you even safer.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- DeHart, J., Stell, M., & Grant, C. Social media and the scourge of visual privacy. Information.2020; 11(2): 57.
- Felson, M. Routine activities and crime prevention in the developingmetropolis. Criminology. 1987; 25(4): 911-932.