Many families buy condominiums to help them save on many of the upkeep responsibilities of the average home. Still, house or condo, you want to make it a home. That means letting your children have the space they need to grow and mature in a secure, safe place. What are some of the rules you need to follow to make sure your kids stay safe on your property? What are some of the safety risks you might look out for?
The Risks Posed by Kids
It’s a hard truth to admit, but kids are liabilities, sometimes. That’s why when you move into a condo property, young kids in particular might pose risks to the property. Kids have accidents, and they might accidentally cause damage to the property itself. You never know when your child might accidentally cause a fire while thinking they are playing in the kitchen. Or, they might damage a portion of the home belonging to the condo association or the possessions of your neighbors.
Risks Posed to Kids
All the same, your kids also face safety risks in condos as well. They could get hurt through an accident inside the house. Or, they might visit the association’s pool and get hurt there. Furthermore, there’s the ever-present risks of letting kids wonder around unsupervised. In these cases, you might face a problem that’s very worrisome for your own family.
Protecting Your Children
It’s important that you establish the same rules for your kids in a condo as you would in the average home. Usually, these rules take only a few minutes to establish and put into place. You can keep your whole family safe with just a little extra attention to details.
- Always establish rules for the kids on what parts of the house are off-limits. These areas might include garages, storage sheds, gun safes, kitchens and other areas where safety risks reside.
- Until a child is old enough to do so, never let them operate stoves, ovens, grills, water hoses, power tools or the home utility system.
- Stranger danger is a risk, particularly in large condo complexes. Always know where your children are, and where they might go within the complex.
- Never let the kids stay home alone until they are old enough to do so, and remind them to never open the door for anyone they do not know.
- Remind your kids to be respectful of other areas of the property, such as neighbors’ yards, or property belonging to the association.
If your kids do cause damage to someone else’s property, then your condo insurance property might be able to help you pay for the damage costs. However, you should always be careful to set up rules for your kids, so that they can know when and how to keep themselves safe at home.