Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe During Back to School Season

No matter the age of our children, it's always a good idea to spend a few moments with them each day and remind them to stay safe. Here are a few tips we thought might help. After all, we're parents (and grandparents), too!

• Teach them road safety. Make sure they always look both ways before they cross.

• Remind them never to accept a ride from a stranger.

• Teach them to never accept candy from a stranger.

• When the school bus stops, always check for oncoming traffic before they cross.

• Make sure your kids stay safe while walking home from school. If there is no sidewalk, teach them to always walk on the left side of the street, facing traffic.


And for us adults:


• Always be on the lookout around schools and playgrounds.

• Always watch your speed in these zones.

• If you see a school bus coming to a stop, do just that: STOP!

Kids should never be on their cell phones, gaming devices or even have their ear-buds in while walking to school. Kids can totally zone out and forget the traffic dangers around them! Make sure they’re fully aware of their surroundings at all times.

If your kids bike to school, helmets are a must, no matter how used they are to the route. However, when they're at school or in the playground, remind them to remove their helmet! If a child wears a helmet when they don’t need to, it can cause them to stuck in play equipment, or injure their playmates if they collide.

Have you checked out the way they wear their backpack and its weight? The American Occupational Therapy Association recommends that a child’s backpack should have well-padded shoulder straps, and weigh no more than 10% of the child’s body weight. Be sure your child’s backpack is not too heavy, and that they always wear it on both shoulders.

These few simple tips will keep your little loved ones safe from harm during the school day, and arrive to the safety of your home once again!