The ideal home security system meets the needs of the entire family, from infants all the way to the pets. Parents with teenagers are often faced with the delicate task of balancing trust and accountability; a home alarm system coupled with other safety tools can help them do just that.

The following are some excellent options for parents looking to enhance the safety and responsibility of their teens:

The Driveway Alarm

There are few things more exciting for teens than the day they receive their driver’s license. This day is typically more nerve wracking than exciting for parents, and for good reason—teens are disproportionately involved in serious car accidents. A driveway alarm is a simple, portable device that works on both motion and heat detection to alert homeowners when a vehicle or car passes by. These devices come in models that create a high pitched sound at the actual device and in a remote responder placed inside the home.

Driveway alarms are the perfect way for parents to monitor when their teens are leaving or returning to the home. Parents can also opt for small motion detector alarms that also light up when someone or something passes by. In addition to preventing kids from sneaking out of the home, they provide all around valuable protection for the entire family and property.

Door and Cabinet Alarms

Teenagers are curious, and that curiosity sometimes extends to rooms and storage areas where they aren’t supposed to be. Portable motion activated alarms are easily placed next to doorways, inside rooms, or inside closets and cabinets to discourage teens from letting their curiosity get the best out of them. Parents can also take advantage of door stop units that function like typical door stops with the additional benefit of setting of an audible alarm when someone attempts to open the door.

Individual “cable” alarm units are the perfect choice for protecting specific items; once tripped these alarms can’t be turned off until a specific key is used. Multi-purpose entrance alarms are easily installed on windows as well, preventing teens from sneaking out or in past curfew. These alarms are also excellent for preventing teens’ friends from snooping around while they are visiting.

Personal Alarms

Giving teens their own personal, portable alarms is an excellent protective measure for teens to have while they are out and about. These small yet loud and powerful alarms can be carried on a person, attached to doors, or used in cars in the event that teens are faced with a dangerous situation that requires assistance. Teens can also use cable alarms and other portable units to protect the contents of their cars or while traveling.

Balancing Trust and Responsibility

While teens may be irked by their parent’s use of the alarm units, learning accountability and responsibility is an important part of growing up. Alarms are particularly useful for teens that need some reinforcement after violating rules; alarms are as much for prevention as they are for catching them in the act. Parents should take the time to emphasis that the alarms they use are for the protection of the entire family, and are not necessarily a form of punishment or a sign of distrust. The affordability, multi-function and easy use of home alarms makes it easy for them to be removed as teens get older or show greater levels of responsibility. At the end of the day safety should always come first, and teens will learn valuable life lessons in the process.