Neighborhood Dangers: How to Protect Your Children from Threats

Did you know that a half a million kids under the age of four are injured in the home each year? Or that more than 500 children are seriously injured as they cross the road? These are just some of the statistics that show the danger facing your children each day. Although facts like these can make parents feel helpless, there’s actually quite a lot that parents can do to keep their children safe. If you’d like to keep your kids safe and happy, here are four safety tips you can implement right now.

1. Don’t Use Personalized Items

Names are personal and when someone uses our names, it feels like they know us. Items like personalized backpacks, T-shirts, and coats make your child vulnerable to predatory strangers, who might use your child’s name to gain his/her trust.

2. Watch the Road

People who get hit by cars experience very serious injuries due to the size and weight of vehicles, and if things get bad enough, their medical bills may put them at risk of bankruptcy. An average car can weigh in at 4,000 pound, while a large truck can come in at as much as 80K. This is a big impact even for an adult, but more so for a child who weighs far less than the average-sized adult. If you feel the traffic in your neighborhood goes too fast, talk with your neighbors about putting up kid-sized traffic cones. Finally, teach your kids to navigate the streets with caution. Unfortunately, not all drivers pay attention as they should. The alert kid is the safe kid.

3. Know Who Your Child Plays With

Do you know who your child is playing with? Do you know the parents of that child? You should talk to your child about who he or she hangs out with and if your child wants some extended play time at a friend’s house, get to know those parents first. Additionally, after your children visit friends, talk with them about what went on. While most of the time, things will go smoothly, but there’s always a chance that the mother of the home drinks too much or that your child was touched by someone in a way that makes your child uncomfortable.

4. Mom and Kids

There’s an easy way for your child to find a safe haven if he or she gets lost. Tell your child to look for a mom with small kids if there is no available police officer or store clerk. Although it’s also wise to teach your child to trust his or her instincts, much of the time, moms with kids are the safest bets for your child if he/she gets lost. All parents would like to think that their kids are safe no matter what, but that isn’t the case, unfortunately. From the bad driver to the predator on the playground, danger can be just around the corner. The smartest parents don’t shy away from teaching their kids to keep themselves safe. Rather, they choose to train their kids to honor and protect themselves and to talk to their parents should they experience anything amiss. You’ll be among the smartest parents if you actively take action to help your children to learn to keep themselves safe.