List of 10 Essential Safety Rules for Kids
There are a variety of rules and lessons children should learn as they grow up. Some start at home, in the kitchen, some rules pertain to the yard. Some rules pertain to using gates near dangerous steps. Garages are also very dangerous for children to play in. Bicycles can be dangerous if the child doesn’t know their boundaries. There are holidays like Halloween, where we ask our kids not to eat anything that is not packaged. There is the bathroom, where there are medicine cabinets and cleaning supplies. Most parents have a yard for their children to play in and dangerous tools left lying around can be a hazard. What rules are important and essential to teach your children? These have to be the main rules that encompass a wide area that extend the child’s boundaries when they are given the opportunity to walk to school or leave the yard. Here are 10 of the most important rules that children should understand by the age of 6. This depends on your child and the area you live in. You can choose a different age if you live in a large city versus a small village. Your kids need to understand what you are telling them and make it simple and easy for your child to remember these rules when they are on their own.
Stay away from talking to strangers
Children never know who is going to try and talk to them, but they should be on guard and remember not to accept any offers to accompany a stranger when they say they know your child’s mom or dad.
Talk loud and say you’re not afraid to tell
When a stranger comes up to your child, try and get them to observe their surroundings quickly and remember details about the stranger if possible. If the stranger tries to touch your child and run after them, tell your child to start using their loudest voice and call for help because a stranger is bothering them. Make sure you tell your child it’s okay to have them talk to someone they can trust. Children that are frightened should look for a mother figure with children outside. Tell your child this is probably quicker than running to look for an authority figure or running back to school.
Learn about street safety
This is one rule that will follow your child from, tike, to grade school and onto high school. Make sure your child knows where there are safe places in the area they usually are around. This way they can feel safe walking and biking, and eventually driving. This is important because they are familiar with these areas since childhood. If you do move, there are always safe places for you and your child to learn about. Take walks and bike rides with your child and practice what you both have planned in case of an emergency. It doesn’t hurt to give your child a small inexpensive cell phone in case they have to call 911.
Teach your child to memorize family contact numbers
It’s important to teach your children the importance that having your contact information is. This makes it easy for your child and authority figures to get in touch with you as parents in case of an emergency. Teach your child their address, phone number, names of their older family members. It’s also important that your child knows where a familiar building is that is close to their home. You can review this information randomly with your younger children because they have a bit more trouble remembering things at a young age.
Never give out any information about your family on social media websites
Parents have to face the facts that social media is becoming a major influence in their kid’s lives. It’s important to start talking early to your children about what to say online that is not personal information. Tell your children not to talk to strangers and even if they feel that the person is harmless, it could be anyone who is years older than them they are talking to. People can be whoever they want behind the screen of a computer. Sit down with your child and create a safe rule for your children. This should include not giving out important personal information, including address, family phone numbers, family emails and most import the location of where the child goes to school and the city the school is in. Tell your child to watch for warning signs that include a person that is too interested in wanting personal information, a person that seems obsessed and easily angered if the child doesn’t show interest and a person that seems to use manipulation of their beliefs that the child knows is wrong to try and control them.
Beware of matches and knives
Fire seems to be quite fascinating to children and may also seem safe. Don’t purchase cool lighters that look like toys or resemble a cartoon character. Serious accidents have also occurred when parents leave their hunting equipment around. The kids think they are a toy and can critically hurt themselves. Always teach your kids to take special care of any brand of hunting gear.
Don’t eat food or treats that a person gives your child if they don’t know the person
Unfortunately, there are people out there that make food or treats with poison or chemicals in them. Teaching your children to say they have to ask their parents before they can take an unknown source of food before eating it, creates a trusting bond between you and your child. This also helps the child recognize foods that they have never seen or foods they think might be ok to eat.
Remember all people are in charge of their own body
This rule applies to all children and adults of any age. This rule definitely tells everyone that they all have control over their own bodies and have the right to say” NO” at any time.
Never keep a secret from a parent
Sometimes kids know their behavior was wrong or they are very embarrassed so they don’t always tell their parents everything. This is a touchy rule but always remember to tell your kids that they shouldn’t be afraid to tell you and your significant other anything that happens to them. Stress the fact that even though the subject might be sensitive, you are not there to judge but want to be able to listen and offer advice.
Create a safety strategy
Children should be masters of their own universes including their own safety. Keep the communication flowing and choose a time to work together and make plans for different safety strategies. This includes who is safe to give them a ride somewhere, talk about reasonable curfews and who your kids think they can trust.
Remember home is a safe place for all family members and having created safety strategies can help protect your kids. There are so many safety tips to give in regards to water, bathing, strangers, household etc. These are all rules you and your family can work on as your children grow from babies to toddlers, to grade schoolers, and to young adults. Household safety is just as important as safety on the streets.
