It’s back to school time once again, which means it’s time for school supplies shopping, ironing uniforms and planning your morning routine to get everyone out the door on time!
For a successful start to the school year, make safety a priority with some everyday behaviours and smart tech.
Safety first
The school run is a busy and sometimes stressful time, so making sure your kids are always safe is essential. Ensure you have some house rules about playing in or near the garage before school starts, and make sure children know never to touch or play with the garage door remote.
Each month, you should also take a few minutes to perform a safety reversal check to ensure your garage door opener is functioning properly.
1. Place a 40mm high object under the door (like a block of wood).
2. Operate the door to come in contact with the object.
3. Door should bounce back from the object in less than a second (or two seconds if safety beams are installed).
4. If this does NOT occur, homeowners should contact Chamberlain on 1800 665 438.
Do a practice run
If children aren’t used to a school timetable, it can be difficult to get into a new routine! For children starting kindergarten or a new school, a great way to prepare them is to set a morning routine and practice it in the week before school starts. You can even use a visual timetable so kids can understand what they have to do every day to get ready for school, and what tasks they have to do after school such as homework and chores.
If children are catching the bus, walking or riding to school, practice the route first so they know where to walk or where to wait for the bus. If they will be travelling on their own, ensure they know to only cross the road at pedestrian crossings and to never cross without looking both ways first.
Set up myQ scheduling and alerts
With the myQ scheduling feature, you can schedule the garage door to close a few minutes after you leave, so even if you forget to close the door, you’ll never have to worry!
Chamberlain’s myQ technology also includes 24/7 monitoring and real-time notifications. The myQ App will send you an alert as soon as the garage door is opened, so you can be sure that your children have arrived home safely from school. You can also set a schedule for the door to close once your children arrive home (just in case they forget too!).