Sometimes the best safety advice is the simplest advice. Here are some tried and tested safety tips to help you keep your children safer this summer:
Bee stings
If your child is stung by a bee your first instinct may be to reach for the tweezers – don’t! Using tweezers can actually force more venom into your child’s skin, and make the reaction worse. Rather scrape it out with a credit card or another rigid item.
Applying a paste of baking soda mixed with water, or even ice followed by an anti histamine cream can help for the itching. If your child is in pain from a bee sting, giving him or her paracetamol is a good idea.
Children who get lost
It’s every mums greatest fear – a child who wanders off. Outfitting all your children with a bracelet that has his or her contact details and name on it can make it a lot easier to track down a child who’s wandered off. For the hyper-organised, dressing all of your children in matching outfits also makes it easier to remember what they are wearing, if one of them goes missing. You could even take a snapshot of your child with a camera phone before you go out, to make it even easier to describe them exactly if you need to. Having cards made up with their address, name and parents contact details can also help. Make sure that your child has one in a pocket or in their backpack whenever you go out.
Stroller safety
Even bigger kids can slide out of a stroller, or even climb out by themselves. So make sure that if your child is in the stroller, he or she is firmly strapped in at all times. Don’t hang your shopping or other bags from the stroller handle, as this can cause the stroller to tip. If you have to let go of the handle of the stroller for any reason, make sure you either have a stroller tether, or you’ve put the brakes on. Reflective stickers or bike flags can make strollers more visible to passing motorists.
Slides
Children break their limbs very easily when they’re toddlers and preschoolers. It’s best to avoid playground equipment like slides altogether until your child is a little older.
Lawnmowers
If you have one, many children want to ride on a sit-on lawnmower with you. If they fall off, there’s a chance of serious injury or even death. If you have a ride on mower, no matter how much your child begs, just don’t let them take a ride. Another hazard related to lawn mowing is that of stones that shoot up from underneath. It’s best to keep your kids indoors when you’re mowing, just to be safe.
Swings
If you’re going to have a swing set in your garden, make sure the ground is safe. Loose small gravel, or some kind of mulch, that extends roughly six feet all around the swing set is a must, and will prevent serious injury if your child falls.
Bicycle safety
Whether your child is on a bicycle with you, or on his or her own, a bicycle helmet is a non-negotiable safety necessity.
Bee stings
If your child is stung by a bee your first instinct may be to reach for the tweezers – don’t! Using tweezers can actually force more venom into your child’s skin, and make the reaction worse. Rather scrape it out with a credit card or another rigid item.
Applying a paste of baking soda mixed with water, or even ice followed by an anti histamine cream can help for the itching. If your child is in pain from a bee sting, giving him or her paracetamol is a good idea.
Children who get lost
It’s every mums greatest fear – a child who wanders off. Outfitting all your children with a bracelet that has his or her contact details and name on it can make it a lot easier to track down a child who’s wandered off. For the hyper-organised, dressing all of your children in matching outfits also makes it easier to remember what they are wearing, if one of them goes missing. You could even take a snapshot of your child with a camera phone before you go out, to make it even easier to describe them exactly if you need to. Having cards made up with their address, name and parents contact details can also help. Make sure that your child has one in a pocket or in their backpack whenever you go out.
Stroller safety
Even bigger kids can slide out of a stroller, or even climb out by themselves. So make sure that if your child is in the stroller, he or she is firmly strapped in at all times. Don’t hang your shopping or other bags from the stroller handle, as this can cause the stroller to tip. If you have to let go of the handle of the stroller for any reason, make sure you either have a stroller tether, or you’ve put the brakes on. Reflective stickers or bike flags can make strollers more visible to passing motorists.
Slides
Children break their limbs very easily when they’re toddlers and preschoolers. It’s best to avoid playground equipment like slides altogether until your child is a little older.
Lawnmowers
If you have one, many children want to ride on a sit-on lawnmower with you. If they fall off, there’s a chance of serious injury or even death. If you have a ride on mower, no matter how much your child begs, just don’t let them take a ride. Another hazard related to lawn mowing is that of stones that shoot up from underneath. It’s best to keep your kids indoors when you’re mowing, just to be safe.
Swings
If you’re going to have a swing set in your garden, make sure the ground is safe. Loose small gravel, or some kind of mulch, that extends roughly six feet all around the swing set is a must, and will prevent serious injury if your child falls.
Bicycle safety
Whether your child is on a bicycle with you, or on his or her own, a bicycle helmet is a non-negotiable safety necessity.
