There are many dangers that face an individual throughout their lives, but a lot can be avoided by using caution and the health and safety education we received whilst growing up. Parents with young children may find it difficult to teach about health and safety and how important it is, but should consistently attempt to educate so that as their children are aware of the risks that surround them.
Although it may seem difficult to teach of dangers without making your child fearful of the world, by frequently discussing health and safety rather than bombarding them with it, you can educate them on how to stay safe in a way that they will remember. Here’s some areas to focus on when teaching health and safety to your children.
People Safety and the Green Cross Code
When out and about, parents will need to teach their children about people safety and the Green Cross Code. Teaching of the correct and best ways to cross the road may need discussion prior to your outing as children can easily get overexcited when out for a walk, so make sure you ask them to stay close to you, and to hold your hand whilst crossing at the appropriate pedestrian crossing points. Whilst out, and crossing the road, make sure you show the safest way to cross, and how to check for oncoming traffic.
You should be consistently educating and reminding them of the importance of people safety, and who is safe to talk to should your child get lost. Teach about how those in uniforms, such as police, are the best people to talk to if lost, and how going into public buildings or a pre-decided safe area, like a library and asking for help from a librarian, will keep them safe until they are reunited with them.
In the Home
Dangers and risks are not just in the outside world, but also are apparent in the home. Our houses contain plenty of accident risks that can easily be prevented through education and making use of protective items. Teaching to stay away from drawers and ovens in the kitchen area will help prevent burns and other incidents, and covering plug sockets can prevent electric shocks.
Although hob covers and other safety devices can stop younger children from coming to harm, as they get older parents should focus their attention on educating about appropriate behaviour around dangerous items so that they can begin to understand how to use them safely.
Teach about Surfaces and Weather
What seems obvious to an adult may not be to a child, so when considering every day safety, a parent will want to educate about ground and surfaces and how the weather will affect them. Educating about soft and hard ground surfaces can be as simple as showing your child where they are allowed to play, and showing them that play surfaces like these are often the safest place to play.
The weather means that you will need to educate your little ones about how this can affect the ground. When the weather drops and roads and surfaces get icy or extremely wet, you will need to teach about how the ground can become slippery and more dangerous than usual and therefore that your child should be wearing appropriate footwear and take caution whilst walking. This can be done by a parent asking children to be cautious or to slow down during these weather conditions.
About Author:
Beth Stubbings thinks that it is important that parents make an effort to educate about health and safety. She would recommend Smith Bros to anyone considering safety surfacing in their playgrounds.
