Family Matters: Your Child’s Safety Is Your #1 Concern

By Lucia Ferrara

We are in full swing of Summer and our children are out of school. Hopefully, you are encouraging them to go outside and play. Too many kids are sitting on the couch and playing video games and not getting enough exposure to connect with nature and humans.

Summer is a time to get out and enjoy nature and friends. Kids should be playing outside games, biking, swimming, camping, tennis and much more. Be creative with what type of activities you create for them.

But first things first: safety.

As parents we want our kids to always have fun and safe experiences. We need to teach our children about safety awareness. Growing is an adventure and we want to protect them from all the dangers they are exposed to. However, for them to enjoy their adventure we need to teach them life skills to help them be independent and take safe risks. This is an essential part of growing older.

There are so many aspects of safety awareness that we could discuss for hours. Topics like: stranger danger, what to do when crossing the street, or what to click or not to click on a computer or smartphone to ensure they don’t stumble onto media, they don’t intend to view.

I want to remind you of only a few general concepts I feel are essential to keep in mind. I encourage approaching safety awareness with a positive attitude, otherwise, kids will think it is a taboo subject. I believe the more you talk about it the more you are building your child’s confidence and independence levels of thinking. It is all a part f Human Development.  We are empowering them to use critical thinking skills and make smart decisions.

According to the DeptpartmentofEducation.gov, “Children are our nation’s most precious resource, but as children, they often lack the skills to protect themselves. It is our responsibility, as parents and teachers, to safeguard children and to teach them the skills to be safe.” Here is a pamphlet filled with suggestions on how to teach these skills.

Together we can teach our youth to be safe, smart, and strong individuals. Here are few tips to ponder on:

1. Reassure your children that their safety is your #1 concern.
2. Talk about personal safety at an early age and often.
3. Demonstrate safe behaviors.
4. Repeat safety rules often and be consistent.
5. Set boundaries on where they can go and with whom.
6. Make yourself available and approachable so your child can talk to you at any time about what is concerning
7. Keep your home a safe place.

 All the articles in the Family Matters series are available here.

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[Lucia Ferrara is the Director of Hospitality at Precious Blood Renewal Center and the lead organizer here of Parent Cafes. Share your thoughts with Lucia or ask her questions by using the form below or sending an email to info@pbrenewalcenter.org. Read more about the Parent Café here.]

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