Summer is approaching and kids will be out of school. We’ve put together a list of 10 ways to keep your kids safe this summer.
1) Know where your kids are!
- Do your research if you are using a babysitter or new daycare provider
- Get details about Summer camps. Find out who the staff is and who will be around your kids. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
2) Create a safety plan with your kids.
- This is especially important if you have children old enough to stay home alone while you go to work.
- Layout easy instructions for children and youth about what your child can and can’t do while you are away at work.
- Give your children contact information if they need to reach you and contact information for others you trust in the event your child can’t reach you.
- Make sure your child knows how to dial 911!
3) Set boundaries.
- Discuss where your kids can go, who they can hang out with, and what time they have to be home.
- Make sure they are checking in from time to time.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions – where did you go today? Who did you see?
4) Follow bike safety.
- Always make sure your kids wear a bike helmet!
- Go over safety rules with them. Where are they allowed to go on their bike? Are there roads that are off limits?
- Teach your children pedestrian safety.
5) Put sunscreen on your children.
- Children can burn quickly so make sure you reapply sunscreen multiple times a day if they are outside, especially in a pool.
6) Always make sure children are supervised when swimming or near a pool!
- Go over pool rules with your kids and make sure they know to never get in a pool without an adult.
- Don’t let children swim when you are not home.
- Make sure there are parents or adults around if your child is swimming at someone else’s house.
7) Never leave children alone in the car.
- Especially on warm or hot days.
- Even if it is for a few minutes. Cars heat up FAST.
8) Create an internet safety plan.
- Once school is out, kids will have much more free time, establish rules and boundaries around how much time they can spend online, what they can do, and what video games they are allowed to play.
- Check in and make sure they are following the rules, and don’t forget to look at your internet history to see what kids are searching online.
9) Check your home for potential poisons.
- Make sure medications, alcohol, and chemicals are all stored safely away and they children, youth and teens can’t access them.
- Consider using a medication lockbox for all your medication.
10) Make sure firearms are never accessible to children, youth or teens.
- Talk to children so they know if they are at a friend’s house, it is never ok to access, touch or play with firearms.
