Jan 26

Child Outdoor Safety

Guest Authors child, Internet, outdoor, peer pressure, predator, road safety, safety Add Comment (1)

Most kids today don’t have the freedom to explore – and grow – that they used to. Wrapping kids in cotton wool isn’t the answer to outdoor safety and you won’t be there all the time, especially as they get older. Preventive measures go a long way; education is the other half of the equation.

•  Road safety needs to be actively taught and repeatedly instilled from a very young age. Protective clothing, including bright and highly visible colors help a lot – not only to alert motorists but also to remind children themselves to be vigilant. Realistically, traffic is not much of a danger to a child walking on the pavement, but kids on bikes and skateboards may benefit from being taken to parks and other safe places.
•  The internet is a real danger – for the unwary and unprotected. Parents should use those parental controls whenever available. Computer illiteracy is not an excuse. Putting the computer in a ‘public’ place rather than in the child’s bedroom goes a long way towards keeping kids web-safe.
• Predatory adults target the vulnerable. We rightly teach our kids to respect their elders. We must also teach them that there are exceptions. A child who yells his or her head off when approached by a strange adult is not going to be desirable prey. Self-preservation skills are both taught and acquired by experience. A child who never goes out without mom or dad is not learning self-reliance and is therefore at potentially greater risk than a kid who has some acquaintance with the meaning of ‘street smart’.
• ‘Frenemies’ are a hidden danger. Teaching kids to resist peer pressure that may lead them into risky situations can be a lifesaver.
• Kids understand cause and effect from a young age. Those who can learn to count to ten before embarking on a course of action can think things through, figure out the consequences of different choices and make better decisions.

A judicious combination of preventative measures (the parents’ responsibility) and education for the world (helping children to take responsibility for themselves) is the best way to keep children safe outdoors without smothering their curiosity and sense of adventure.