Having children is something you should take very seriously, especially when it comes to the safety of your children. They’re too little to know all the dangers surrounding them, so it’s up to you to teach them everything they need.
As they grow up, they become more independent and begin doing things themselves. During that process, there are several things you should explain to them to ensure they’re as safe as possible.
6 Lessons to Teach Your Children About Safety
Have Them Learn Basic Contact Information
It’s important for your children to know the basic contact information in case of an emergency. Ideally, they’d need to know the address, name, and phone number of your family member or close friend. You should also teach them a secondary number of other family members or close friends.
Avoid Strangers
Dangers lurk all around us, so it’s important to explain to your children how to avoid them. As soon as they become independent enough to go to school alone, you should explain that they should avoid strangers at all costs.
This means they shouldn’t talk to them, take things from them, or go with them anywhere. You should explain that if there’s some kind of emergency, either you or a familiar person will be there to pick them up from school.
There may be situations where they need to talk with strangers. In this case, it’s essential to explain to them who they can approach and what information to give them.
Tell Them to Stay Where They Are if They Get Lost
One of the most common places where kids get lost are malls or airports. Setting up a parental control app can help you stay connected with your child, especially if they ever get lost. Many apps allow parents, like TiSPY, to track live location in real-time, which gives you peace of mind. It’s important to also teach your child to stay where they are if they feel lost whether it’s at a mall or a park—so you can find them easily. By combining open communication and the right tools, you can ensure they feel safe and confident in any situation. Like most parents, you’ll retrace your steps and look for them as soon as you notice.
If you’ve gotten separated for a certain reason, the next thing you should teach them is to head over to the largest landmark or store they can see. You should also remember this and analyze the environment. This should help you figure out where to look.
Going back to the first tip, you can also explain to your children to approach a mother and child and explain the situation. Having remembered your phone number, the mother will call you and explain where they are.
If you’re at a mall or the airport, explain to them that they should find an employee and explain that they’re lost. The staff will do their best to find you and reunite you with your little one.
Be Careful in Traffic
Before your children begin to go to school independently, it’s essential to teach them about traffic dangers. Due to the number of vehicles on the road, most pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas. There are several things to explain to avoid these kinds of situations.
Explaining the dangers should help them understand that they should always go on the sidewalk. Ideally, they’d want to be as far away from the street as possible.
Crossing the road is another potential danger that you should teach your children about. Explain to them that they should cross only at a pedestrian crossing. Even if there’s a light, they should double-check both sides before crossing.
Don’t Leave the Yard
Living in a house means you have a backyard, so there’s a place where your children can play. Depending on the fencing situation, you may need to explain to them that leaving the yard is something they shouldn’t do.
One option would be to install a taller fence so that they cannot climb over. You can also make sure to install locks on any back doors you may have. With that said, it’s still a good idea to teach them about the dangers of leaving the yard. They should at least ask you if they’re allowed and if you’d be available to take them outside.
Don’t Play With Fire
At a certain age, kids begin to experiment and play with things, some of which can be dangerous. One of the many on this list is fire, so teaching them not to play with it is essential. An open fireplace or a grill are only a few potential hazards you should teach your children to avoid.
This also means you should keep any flammable materials away from their reach. Once they reach a certain age, you may start to let them throw smaller twigs in the fire. With that said, you should still continue to explain that it’s dangerous and they can get hurt.
A parent has many duties regarding children. One of the most important aspects is raising them right and teaching them to be safe from potential dangers. If you achieve this, you’ll know you’ve set them on the right path.
