Home Security

Our alarm company is ADT. We've had no problems...just one false alarm. I like having it for peace of mind, so I understand. But I do sometimes wonder if they really are helpful or just give us a false sense of security.

As for guns. I really don't judge on this. I grew up with a gun in the house. Dad was a former California Highway Patrolman. Learning gun safety and how to shoot was important. We kids respected the gun. We never touched it.

I've never gotten one for myself. I've never felt the need. That could change tomorrow. But it is a hard decision and one not to be taken lightly. I know you won't, given the thought you put into your post.

If I were ever to consider one for myself, I'd research as many stats as I could on guns, talk with my husband (he grew up in a midwestern household, so guns for hunting were normal), talk to my dad and talk to my kids about safety and their feelings. I'd probably also take some refresher shooting classes and look into as much as I could on safety devices. I'd probably pray some, too, for guidance in finding out why I feel the need for one.

Good luck in making your decision. It's a tough one.

Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.

We also have ADT and LOVE it. It doesn't cost much either, maybe a little over a dollar a day. It has been very helpful. Almost too helpful one time. haha. I recall I got balloons and they were on the kitchen table. We left the house and turned the alarm on, the balloons set the motion detector off. Oops. I would recommend ADT though. Reasonally priced and so worth it. My husband leaves for work at 3:30am and I am at home with three kids (ages 8 years old, 6 years old and 7 month old). I am at comfort with the alarm system.

There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one!

We have Protect America!

Love it!

We have ADT, and get a discount through our home insurance company, who has a deal with ADT. So we got discount installation and a yearly break with them. So, you might want to check with your home insurance people, who they work with?!?!?

So, we've been happy with pricing and it seems to be meeting our needs.

I don't like the idea of a gun in the house, but my husband and I have discussed a taser. If you have time to shoot a gun, you have time to shoot a taser. We haven't done anything but discuss it, so I can only share that idea without any details.

Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.

Used both ADT and Brinks, I prefer the Brinks system. It is very user friendly and I got a key faub so I can activate/deactivate the alarm from the car as I come or go. Also, don't get the motion detector, instead get a glass break detector. When you alarm is on with a motion detector, no one can get a drink of water at night without setting it off. With a glass break dector, you can still move around inside your home with the alarm on, just don't drop a glass on the tile floor. Make sure all windows and doors are done with sensors and watch ADT for installation blunders...in a nutshell, they send a kid out to do an electicians job. Having had both systems, I will always stay with Brinks.

Read the fine print on ADT installation specials too.

Hope that helps!

We use AmWest Video Security Systems. In the interest of full disclosure, a friend owns the company. Also, I just wanted to follow up on the motion sensor issue. Glass break is a great option to have. We also have motion sensors, and we don't use them when we are at home. Your security system should have a "stay" setting as well as an "away" setting. When you want the motion detectors activated, use the "away" feature; when you are at home, want the system armed, but don't want the motion sensors, use the "stay" setting.

We have ADT as well and we love it. They're reasonably priced (about $35/month) and we've never had any problems.

jesshod is an arizonamoms.com discussion leader living in Surprise.

We have ADT and can't wait to get rid of it. We have sensors on all windows and doors downstairs. Even when we put them on 30 second delay, the second you open up a door, the alarm goes off. Sometimes ADT calls, sometimes they don't. They will send someone out to look at why it does this...at a cost to us! We have many neighbors that have Brinks and we can not wait to switch to them!

We have ADT too. We accidently had the police at our door twice (over 4 yrs) when my husband inadvertently hit the panic button on the key chain remote (I finally took the remote away from his giant fingers!).

I have always heard that in the vast majority of cases, handguns are actually used AGAINST the owner of them. Unless you live in an area high in crime, I would suggest that a security system and outdoor lighting are really all the protection you will need. Statistically speaking, your son would be at a higher risk from having the loaded gun in the house than from any intruder.

I saw an episode of 20/20 once that interviewed several gun safety experts from Cal. who taught families how to own and store guns safely. They explained all of the protective equipment available and how education was key - and successful - in preventing kids from accessing guns in the home. Since the experts boasted about how successful their kids education program was, the reporters asked and received permission to interview the experts own children. The parents watched in horror as the children, out of sight of their parents, told - and showed - the reporters, one by one, exactly where the gun was stored. The kids climbed up on furniture and retrieved the guns for the reporters...and then retrieved the bullets! Several of the children first had to dig for the key to the drawer that locked the gun away, but they did it with ease.

Kids can do a lot of snooping in the time it takes you to take a shower. My parents never knew that we kids knew exactly where to locate my dad's report card form HS that showed a failing grade, the sexy picture of my mom that she sent to my dad while he was in the army long before we were born, nor the stash of letters to Santa that we had written over the years...we never said a word that we knew where lots more "hidden" stuff was!

Just my opinion, but I would never keep a gun in my house. I hope you don't either.