Peace of mind—this is the common desire of most people. But what does it really mean? Clean conscience, yes. But it’s more than that. We can’t deny some basic material conditions that would put us at ease.
High on the list of what people need to get a decent sleep at night is the feeling of security. By this security, we won’t be focusing on meeting basic needs like having enough food or being assured of a warm home. Economic security, in itself, is a rich topic for another day. What we will be discussing here is protection from inflicted harm. This is especially important now that there is an economic downturn. Desperate times often result in increased crime rates. Bad financial flows for families could also translate to frictions among family members.
While it has been reported that the common crimes before the pandemic have gone down because of mobility restrictions—individuals seen on the streets are now more conspicuous—other forms like hate crimes and online exploitation have gone up. Domestic conflicts and even violence have also shot up in some areas.
We have here a few pointers on what you can do to beef up your security—physically and even psychologically.
Protecting the house from intruders
Break-ins have gone down, but you can never be too complacent. Investing in a good home security system could be pricey, but it will be worth it, knowing you are not just protecting your possessions. Above all, it is also meant to protect your family from desperate individuals.
First and foremost, have a well-lit backyard. Try not to have any dark spots around your home. If you are concerned with high electricity costs, go with sensor-activated floodlights in key areas and solar-powered led bulbs installed in shaded spots.
A CCTV camera is only good if it can capture clear videos and images. Get one that has either high memory capacity or can easily be connected to cloud storage. Of course, it also needs to be capable of night vision. Don’t forget to check out the range of its clarity. There are also CCTVs with alarms, so you can opt for these, especially if the crime rate in your area is still high.
Finally, know how to defend yourself in an emergency. Get pepper sprays for each member of the family. Orient everyone what to do in case of a break-in. What are their options? What should they always need to carry? Although it might initially increase everyone’s anxieties with the thought of being harmed, the preparations would eventually set your minds at ease.
Online safety
With more time spent online, malicious people have also found the means to take advantage of the situation. It helps to increase precautions in using the internet. There are now different online conferencing and private messaging platforms. Make sure that they are all trustworthy and would not infiltrate your systems to get your data.
Among the youth, popularity in social media platforms has become easier with everyone looking for new content every day. In some, users have gone beyond socially accepted behavior just to get attention. Nudity, sexual content, and violent acts are freely shared even to very young users.
Make sure children and teenagers are guided online. Have them understand the repercussions of sharing sensitive information or inappropriate content. They might not feel exposed due to their physical remoteness. They should understand how the internet works.
Addressing conflicts within the family
It is not surprising if, due to the prolonged confinement of family members together, some conflicts would have arisen. They are not necessarily major—sibling squabbles, for example—but some may be grave enough to end in marriage breakups. If you can get a personal counselor for the family, it would be a great investment. Sometimes a disinterested party is the most effective mediator for personal conflicts.
For graver concerns, think of already getting a family or estate lawyer. Often, they are consulted only when a family is already breaking up. But prepare ahead. In these times, for example, you would want the peace of mind that in case something would befall you, you will be administered your preferred medical care, and someone could efficiently manage your affairs in your absence.
You may think that it is too much trouble to set all of these in place. But once they are all taken care of, you will feel more secured and well-prepared for whatever eventualities in the future. We don’t know if another incidence would occur in the future, so it is always a good idea to be ready.
