As a parent, you may want to always be present near your kid. But this is not possible. You have to let your kid venture out without you. There are places where your kid will meet others in your absence, for example, at school. Your kid may also need to be at the day care or at home with a nanny. Also, it is important to prepare your kid for basic safety steps in the event of an emergency.
Here we list out 10 kids safety rules, that will help in ensuring safety at school and home:
1. Safety Rule #1 Know Your Name, Number And Address:
Your kid may be small but it is important to teach basic contact details like your and your partner’s name and contact number. Your kid should be able to share your contact number with someone in case of an emergency. Also, knowing where home is and any nearby landmark is also important. Help your kid memorize these with regular practice at home. Also, help your kid memorize a backup number to call, like a grandparent, uncle or aunt.
2. Safety Rule #2 Do Not Eat Anything Given By A Stranger:
You need to teach your child about stranger danger i.e., the dangers of eating food given by a stranger. No matter how tempting the treat is, if it comes from a stranger, your kid should not eat it. Teach your kid that it is dangerous to accept food from anyone. Ask them to politely refuse in case someone is offering food without your consent or in your absence.
3. Safety Rule #3 Do Not Climb The Fence:
Your kid may be playing ball and suddenly it bounces off to a space inside a fence. Teach your kid never to try and retrieve something by climbing through a fence. If something like this happens, your kid should ask the help of a grown up, but never go near a fence.
4. Safety Rule #4 Do Not Walk Off The Yard Alone:
Similar to the point above, your kid should know about outdoor safety and that it is not permissible to walk out of your yard alone. If your kid needs to go out for anything, you or some known adult should be accompanying your kid at all times.
5. Safety Rule #5 Playing Or Experimenting With Fire Is Not Allowed:
According to NFPA’s Home Fire Victims by Age and Gender report, children under five accounted for five percent of home fire fatalities and four percent of injuries during 2015-2019. On the other hand, children under 15 accounted for 11 percent of the home fire casualties and nine percent of the injuries. So whether or not you are at home, your child should know the concept of fire safety and that playing with fire is absolutely not allowed. Only if you are around and have given your permission can your kid be near the fire. Make sure all fire outlets are safely out of your kid’s reach.
6. Safety Rule #6 Never Go Anywhere With A Stranger:
Your kid should know that no matter what the reasoning, it is not safe to go anywhere with a stranger. Tell your kid that if a stranger tells them something like ‘Your mom asked you to come with me immediately,’ they should stay where they are and shout out for help. Ensure that if there is an emergency, you will always send a family member, like a grandparent or aunt, to be with your kid and not a stranger.
7. Safety Rule #7 No One Is Allowed To Touch Your Kid’s Body:
This is a very important personal safety rule for kids and you should teach about it as soon as your kid can understand the basics. Teach about good touch and bad touch. Tell your kid that no one is allowed to touch your kid except mommy, and sometimes papa, if needed. If anyone else has touched your kid, your kid should immediately shout for help and alert people around.
8. Safety Rule #8 If You Get Lost, Stay Where You Are:
In the event that your kid gets lost, tell them it is important they stay right where they are. If they see any other mom with kids nearby, they can ask her for help. Your kid should stay inside the place and not go out, even with the other mom. Most common places where kids get lost are the supermarkets. Tell your kid that they can walk up to the counter of the store and tell the person they are lost.
9. Safety Rule #9 Do Not Share Address And Phone Details With Anyone (Except Emergency Situations As In Point 1):
Your kid should know that it is unsafe to share personal details like phone numbers, address, email ids or pictures with strangers. Any information that is shared should only be with your consent or in your presence.
10. Safety Rule #10 If I Am Uncomfortable I Will Not Do It:
No matter what your kid may be asked to do, if it makes your kid uncomfortable, your kid should NOT do it. This could be something as simple as taking off clothes in front of others and diving in a home pool. If your kid is not comfortable about it, no matter how many friends are doing it, your kid should not do it at all.