I remember when we first moved into the condo where we live now.

The homes were very nice, they were in my price range, and they were five minutes from my parents’ home, which was a huge plus. So I decided to purchase one of them.

The developer gave me a choice between two condos: one that was very close to the freeway, and the other was a good ways away. I’m sure you can guess which one I chose.

Besides choosing the condo furthest from the highway, I also had an alarm system installed which would sound whenever any door or window was opened. That way, if my son ever felt inclined to walk out, I would be alerted immediately.

My son had never had a problem with bolting from the house, but I was concerned that there could be a first time for anything.

Installing an alarm system and choosing a safe location in which to live (if you have that option open to you) are two safety precautions that we as parents should consider taking to keep our kids out of harm’s way.

It’s not pleasant to think about potential tragedies, but we need to. Better to prevent a tragedy from happening than to wish we did.

Some time ago, I wrote a couple of articles to help parents learn how they can keep their kids safe. Prevention is so important, so I encourage you to read through the two articles at the links at the end of this message.

The first article reminds us of safety tips in general, and it tells the story of Michael and what happened when he unexpectedly bolted from the house. The second outlines 12 steps to take to prevent your child from wandering from home.

It’s so important to set aside a few minutes to learn about safety and to take the necessary precautions. As soon as possible. Because you never know when tragedy could strike.

As Zig Ziglar once said, “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst.”

Warm Regards,

Kay Donato

Discover Autism Help, LLC