Vacations and Safety

School has started and for many the vacations are a distant memory until the next one. For us, we are counting the days down until we take our yearly fall vacation. Year round school has its advantages! That being said, readying the house for vacation is a big deal. The biggest thing on my to-do list is hiring a house-sitter because one of my fears while vacationing is about something happening to our home or coming home to a house that may have been burglarized.  If you fear this also when traveling but the thought of a house-sitter also leaves you a bit uneasy, stay tuned because I have the perfect solution.

When we get ready for vacation I have usual list of items to check and take care of and yet I always feel like maybe I forgot something. Thanks to Simplisafe, I don't have to worry about forgetting things on my list, (it's usually scribbled on some random paper) as they have a great one you can use each and every time you are taking off for vacation. They call it the Ultimate Pre-Vacation Checklist and it truly is. You can see the list in its entirety here. A few other items that aren't on the list that I will add to it is making sure my neighbors know I am not expecting anyone at the house besides the house-sitter and let them know what vehicle they drive.

But what if you aren't fond of vetting a stranger as your house-sitter? That's usually when most folks will get a fancy alarm system. But if you're like me, that worries me more than a sitter. Having a stranger install said system and know your passwords and whatever else and then off they go. Yep, no dice. Which is why we haven't had a system installed but now there is a new way to safeguard your home! And all you need is your cellphone. That's right, no wires, no drilling, no strangers! What's the product called? Simplisafe

There are prepackaged deals or you can build a system to fit your home and it installs very easily. You don't need a standard phone line and you use your cellphone to control things. Want 24-hour live monitoring? They have that too! Either $14.99 or $24.99 a month and you can cancel or downgrade at any time. Small price to pay for a system that you can design yourself, has no contracts and comes with a 60 day money back guarantee! Because really, who wants to be on vacation and worry about what might be happening back home? Check out Simplisafe's resource on all things home security here.

That's right, when we go away all I want to worry about is catching the beautiful sunrise and sunsets. What about you? What tips do you have for keeping your home safe while you travel?

Hot, Hot, Hot: A Summer PSA

It's almost summer and with the weather being the way it is and getting a reminder from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta I thought I would put out a reminder for all parents about cars and safety when it comes to our kids.

On the news this week there was a story about a 5 month old left in a car. I don't know about you, but the weather here in Georgia has been sweltering! It doesn't cool off at night and it is uncomfortable right at the start of the morning. To know that this poor child was left in the car and could not scream out for help and eventually died is heartbreaking. Yes, the caregiver says it was an accident. And that is usually the case but I'm begging you as a parent, to take a moment and read these tips:

Top Tips for Preventing Hyperthermia

• Dial 911 immediately if you see an unattended child in a car. EMS professionals are trained to determine if a child is in trouble.

• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the window slightly open.

• Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or whatever is to be carried from the car, on the floor in front of a child in a backseat. This triggers adults to see children when they open the rear door and reach for their belongings.

• Set your cell phone or Blackberry reminder to be sure you dropped your child off at day care.

• Set your computer calendar program, such as Outlook, to ask, “Did you drop off at daycare today?”

• Have a plan that if your child is late for daycare that you will be called within a few minutes. Be especially careful if you change your routine for dropping off little kids at day care.

• Teach children not to play in any vehicle.

• Lock all vehicle doors and trunk after everyone has exited the vehicle – especially at home. Keep keys out of children’s reach. Cars are not playgrounds or babysitters.

• Check vehicles and trunks FIRST if a child goes missing

You can get more info about this and other ways to prevent injuries to your kids at Safe Kids.org