Changing Locks & Keys  ► sponsored by Anna Jorgensen - Coast Realty

I'd like to thank everyone who emailed us here at Street Smart Kidz about last weeks tip. It seems a lot of you really enjoyed taking the quiz and many debates were sparked because of the answers, which is what Street Smart Kidz is all about. Talking to your kids about safety. We will do another quiz soon. This week I'd like to talk to you about your door and window safety.

It's a topic that we rarely think of or look at, yet it's the first line of defense when it comes to protecting your family. I have many friends and relatives who have moved in the last year and haven't thought of changing the locks yet. The same locks could have been used by 5 tenants back.

Think about it. Thirty or forty people could have keys to your home, possessions and kids.

So please take a moment, and ask yourself the following questions:

  1. have I changed all the locks on all the doors since I have moved in?

  2. do you have locks on all of your windows?

  3.  if your windows open all the way, sink a screw into the window track so the window will not open more than 8 inches in all of your children's bedrooms

  4. put a broom handle, cut to size in the window tracks of all your ground floor windows so they will only open 8 inches

  5. check your screen door locks and evaluate how strong they are because most are made of plastic and are easily compromised which makes for a dangerous situation in the summer when sleeping with only the screen door shut

  6. for added safety install a additional hook or sliding latch

These are all very important, inexpensive things to do in your home, and if your renting, your landlord can take care of it at minimal or no charge to you.

Next week Street Smart Kidz "NO PAROLE FOR SEX OFFENDERS" tour hits the Lower Mainland and I'm looking forward to meeting lots of new friends and collecting as many signatures as we can.

Steven