7 Ways All Guys Can Protect Their Families

Gender
roles are quite the controversial topic in 2020, and yet there are still
certain instinctual behaviors that we never fully put down. Anyone with a
family would, for obvious reasons, want to ensure their family is safe, and
it’s true for many families that the primary responsibility of protector falls
to Dad, Husband, the man of the house. 

Does that make you nervous, guys? It’s a lot of responsibility to take on, and sometimes, you might find it overwhelming or downright frightening, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a shortlist of ways guys can protect their families.

1. Set Good Social Examples

One of the first ways any man can protect his family is by
setting a good example. Being confident, assertive and also tactful and respectful in social
situations will help your kids feel safe and learn good habits. Ultimately,
your children need to grow up feeling that they have the tools to be confident
and self-secure in a variety of situations. By carrying yourself properly, you
communicate these good habits to them and help them feel protected at the same
time. 

2. Provide a Safe Home

It’s one thing to make sure your family feels safe in a social setting, but much of your family’s time is sure to be spent at home. So it’s important that you make your home somewhere your family feels secure by having a clean, well-maintained space with working locks and additional security features. For example, you could install a gate to your driveway to make sure you’re able to control who can visit at any given time.

3. Install a Security System

Adding
to ways of creating a safe space for your family, you can install a modern
security system that will alert your family and the authorities of any
intrusion into your space. Some of the new smart home security packages provide
incredible functionality. You can monitor your camera system from
your phone,
train the system to listen for unusual sounds and even lock your doors
remotely. 

4. Walk Away From Dangerous Situations

You’re
a guy, so maybe you’re familiar with the way that your ego can get ahead of you
at times. However, when you have a family with you, it’s critical that you know
how to de-escalate a situation. Instead of leaning into a confrontation that
could become dangerous for your family, you’ve got to have the composure to
recognize when things are getting sketchy and walk away. It might mean
swallowing your pride, but it’s for the best in the long run. 

5. Have a Plan

Whether
it’s how your family should leave the house in the event of a fire, which exit
to use and where to meet afterward, or what to do in the case that someone
breaks into your home, talk with your family about how to respond in the event
of a crisis. By agreeing ahead of time on what to do if things get out of
control, you’ll be equipping them with a less frantic mind should anything
actually happen. That means they’ll be safer even if you’re not able to be
there and help them. 

6. Be Calmly Alert at All Times

It
might sound simple, but being a head-of-household isn’t a job you get to just
put down. You can’t be a stress-case all the time, but you have the
responsibility of ensuring your family is safe. That means knowing when you
need to spring into action. At the first sign of trouble, you need to have the
conviction and the aptitude to take on a leadership role and assert what the
family needs to do to be safe. Whether it’s in the middle of the night or out
for a walk after work one day, if something happens, the family looks to
you. 

7. Keep Yourself Healthy

You can’t protect your family if you’re not around. They rely on you and look to you for guidance, which means you have to take the necessary steps to ensure you can be there. If you didn’t have much concern for your own physical well-being in the past, having a family and kids will change all of that. 

What
exactly does this mean? Make sure you attend your yearly check-ups. Get enough
exercise, eat right and avoid bad habits like drinking and smoking that could
lead to significant health issues. Consider giving your extreme sports hobbies
a rest so that you won’t be hurt if something comes up and you need to be there
for the family. It might not seem cool, but it’s a responsibility that comes
with your role. 

Surprised
we didn’t get into any mention of high-tech body armor or weapons? That stuff
can be fun to talk about, but it ultimately affects very, very few of the
situations actual families face. In reality, making your family safe is about
having the right attitude and giving the people you love some peace-of-mind. It’s
not always glamorous, but it’s a job you should be proud to take on.