Friday, February 19, 2021

Creating A Safe Home Environment During Times Of Crisis And Beyond

 

This is a partnered post, however all thoughts are my own. A GAL NEEDS...is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program  image

 

 Like every home, the family comes in various shapes and sizes. The pandemic's lock down and social distancing protocols mean you’ll likely spend more time than usual with your families. Working from home, virtual school with your kids, and ensuring your family's safety can sound pretty daunting. However, there are additional risks. A 2018 study asserted that the US recorded 125,3000 preventable fatal home injuries, a figure which represented 75% of all preventable home injuries. With your family spending more time at home now, check out these simple tips to secure your family. 

1.    Don't just dine, connect

 

image

 Eating together as a family seems to be more and more difficult. But the rewards for finding a time to eat together at least a couple times a week can pay off big dividends. Dinner presents a fantastic platform to measure how well your children are navigating their teenage years. Studies have shown that the time you spend together with your kids is essential in reducing their chance of falling into conditions like alcohol or substance abuse, depression, or in the worst case, contemplating suicide. Dinner builds individual members into one collective family; 30 minutes of dinner together each day is enough to get the family more connected.

2.       Your home should be a haven

For your family to flourish, it’s essential to have a physically and emotionally safe space where every member feels secured and protected. Where else can you have that than your home? Children particularly need that safe place to re-energize and get going once again. Regardless of how independent they become after they begin having sleepovers and going to extracurricular activities like sports and other programs, they'll always need a home to return to. The home offers a safe spot where they can be themselves entirely and comfortably connect with the entire family.  

While we continue to face the pandemic, it’s practical to consider ways to make your home more comfortable for your family. Are you remote working, or are your kids' schooling from home? Here are some tips to make your home a haven.

  • ·Allow more light into your home. whether that is to open the window treatments during the day or maybe get a light therapy lamp!
  •  Have dedicated personal spaces regardless of whether you are sharing or living alone. It allows people to relax, regroup and unwind on their own time, in their own way.
  • ·Prioritize presence and connection. Have a designated screen-free time (dinner would be perfect) to foster connection and rapport with other family members
  •  Keep your home tidy and clean. That may be tough if you have kids. Don't feel as if you have to be perfect at it. You'd be surprised what a few minutes of tidying  up in the morning and in the evening can do for the feeling of peace within your space!
  • ·Establish sound limits. Letting people know what your limits are is a good strategy. Make sure they are reasonable and that you stick to them!

3.       Pick up a family plan

As daunting as it may seem, picking the appropriate family health plan for your family is vital to protecting them. Choosing the right family plan is key to guaranteeing that even in your absence, your family will have some level of financial protection to cater for basic things like food and healthcare, mortgage, and care for the aged or disabled loved ones. You need solid leads to figure out which insurance agency is reliable and explore their products to find one that suits your family's needs. More serious health issues require more specialized coverage and could even require legal assistance. Some health issues can be the result of former employment with hazardous working conditions. For instance, mesothelioma is a common illness due to asbestos exposure. It's important to find a firm with highly successful mesothelioma attorneys to hold the company responsible.

4.    Examine your home for safety hazards

Statistics by Safe Kids Worldwide have suggested that an average of 2,200 children suffer fatal home injuries each year. Take the time to examine the various rooms in your home and eliminate any potential hazard source to secure them. Establishing control over the health and safety of your home is key to protecting your family. Make a consistent effort to remove any potential hazards. If possible, replace hazardous products with safer ones.

 5.  Prepare For Unexpected Emergencies

Being prepared for the unexpected will give you and your family more confidence that you can overcome problems with ease. These emergencies could be a power outage or natural disaster (or both at the same time). But, other emergencies can happen outside and around the house as much as inside it. Make sure you teach your kids (and partner) to be safe outdoors to avoid injury and accidents, even if it is as close to home as your front lawn. Make a point to learn more about potential personal injuries so you know your options and, hopefully, have the funds to pay for any legal fees you may have to get appropriate compensation.

 Make sure to have a plan for unexpected emergencies. Have a designated meeting place in case people get separated, have a 24-hour survival bag ready and accessible for everyone, store extra food and water in extra available space. A great place to store emergency food and water supplies is under beds and in closets.


Remember, all families are different. All families need safety, nurturing, love, and a place to grow. It's not an easy task, but so worth every little effort you make towards those ultimate goals!


 

image
What is something you do with your own family to cope or prepare for challenging times ?

 

2 comments:

jjmon2012 said...

This is a very good list. When we were kids we always had family dinner and it was always so loud. Sometimes I think we talked over each other. Today because of COVID I think there has been more dinners together.

A GAL NEEDS... said...

@jjmon2012 I think that's such a great example of what family dinner is like. Every family has their own dynamic and that's OK! Loud is fine, it means people have something to say and that it matters to be heard.