Days go by so fast when summer has come to an end and all the children are headed back to the bus stops. It seems just like yesterday that you were at the bus stop getting them off from the bus from their last day of school and was ready for them to go back already. You want them to enjoy their days off but you also want them to go back to school for another year. While most parents let their children run loose on the streets and give them til dark to get in the house or take them on silly vacations that you pushed for them to take with you. There are still some parents who enroll their children in day camps and send them to summer school for extra curriculiar activities such as band camps.
Remember that while your last days of summer have come to an end that that doesnt mean that somehow they are safer then they were before the end of summer. Days are going to seem like they are getting shorter and the children will want to run around like stray dogs after being cooped up in a school all day long and some even have all those times on the long bus rides home. They sit and think all day long what they want to do when they get home and will run right in the door and throw their books on the floor and change their clothes and head right back out the door to head to the local playground or skateboard park. Most children do not sense when they are doing something wrong. Most will run across the street without even looking, they will not remember to put on those knee pads and will not wear a bike helmet unless you are right there reminding them to do it while they are playing.
If we start at an early age and remind our children that safety is always number 1, they will learn that this is what they are supposed to do. They will listen without putting up a big fight. If we remind our children of the bad things that can happen to them without doing as we say they will listen a bit better then if we would have just said this is the reason, Because I said so. Dont give them the chance to argue with you by just being direct and honest with them. It is better to scare them then to let them learn the hard way and end up with some serious danager or accidents.
I would recommend that while your children are playing and want to go to the park, You must always walk them to the corners and make sure that they are crossing the street as directed. Looking both ways and making sure that they do not speak to strangers along the way. You want to make sure that knee pads are on the correct way and that the bike helmet is up to date and is fastened the correct way. Make sure that shoe laces are tied so that they can not get caught in the bicycle spikes and chains.
While at the park make sure they do not speak to strangers or they stay clear of someone who looks unsuspecting to you. Make sure they know that just becuase someone walks up to them and speaks it doesnt mean that you must speak back to them. Let them know that if they feel uncomfortable that it is ok to come and look for an adult that they know or that they go to a safe place nearby and ask to call someone that know to come and get them. It would always be best that until they are older that someone always accompanies them to the park or where ever they want to go.
This is just a little way of making sure that safety is the number one choice and to make sure that the end of summer is just another day for them.
