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Ways to keep your children safe during school holidays


School holidays give children much-needed refueling time, with relaxed schedules and more play time.

During these breaks, however, children may get the impression that rules also have been relaxed, an assumption that can lead to dangerous situations or even accidents.

Child safety is just as important during these breaks as when school is in session.

For parents who work full-time, their children may spend these breaks with househelp’s or even at home with older siblings for short periods of time.

How can we arm our kids to help them stay safe during these breaks from school?

Here are some child safety tips for you to use in preparation for these non-school occasions:

Child Home Safety

• Leave two emergency phone contacts, including that of an at-home neighbor, if possible. Tell your child who they are and show them where the information is posted.

• Even the youngest child should know when and how to dial your phone number.

• Provide specific activities that can keep them safely busy while you are gone. A game, puzzle, an art project, or a scavenger hunt can provide hours of fun and keep little hands busy.

• Let your child or his sitter know if you want play to be restricted to inside the house or if you are comfortable with outdoor play while you are gone.

• If you have a no-friend-over rule while you are gone, make that clear to your child and the sitter. You are the best judge of whether your child is old enough to handle the company of a friend without your direct supervision.

• Before you leave, put away all match boxes and candles and any other objects that curious minds might want to explore.

Your Child on Field Trips

• Find out all you can about the outing; where they are going, how they will get there, who will be with them, what they’ll be doing and when they will be back.

• Instruct your child NEVER to leave her buddy or the group, even when making a trip to the bathroom. It has been proven that there is safety in numbers.

• Put your name and phone number in your child’s pocket so that in case of an emergency he has the information.

• Suggest that the children on the field trip all wear the same color shirts so that anyone separated from the group is easier to spot.