Back to School Safety

Look Left, Right, then Left Again and be Defensive

Reminding our children (any age) to look “left, right & left again” is extremely important to keep them on the lookout and teaches them to be defensive when they're on the street.  There are far more distractions with drivers these days, such as texting, GPS, or talking on the phone. All of these distractions mean less time watching for your kids walking to school. This was apparent to me on the first day back to school earlier this week.  Even though we live close to school we stil find ourselves dodging cars while crossing the street, so we continually remind our son about this rule every day. Being defensive is the best way to be safe.  

Teach your Children about their Designated "Safe side" Adults

Let your your younger children know who their 3 “designated” adults are.  Who will pick them up from school and who can drive them or walk them home.  And most importantly, the difference between strangers, "kind a knows", and "safe side" adults.  Giving them a practice run at screaming when a stranger tries to grab them is a great way to blow of steam and teaches our children never to be afraid to yell for help when needed.  We have been practicing the "Safe Side" yell with our son since he was three.  We highly recommend watching the Safe Side DVD created by John Walsh and Julie Clark, with your child and answer questions as they pop up.  Our child (6yrs) get’s to yell at the top of his lungs. “Help this is not my mom, Help, this is not my dad!”  It’s fun, but we also talk with him about the need for it and how important it is that he use his voice if he feels scared or in danger, even with "kinda knows."

Hot Tip 1 - Designated Adults

Hot Tip 2 - Internet and Email Safety