Safety First: Is Your Child Safe?

As a high school teacher, CPR instructor and certified athletic trainer. I taught medical related courses which taught my students how to take care of their bodies and recognize serious issues. As a result, I was often called on during emergency situations such as head injuries, possible drug overdoses, cardiac arrest situations and many more.

Being in the medical field helped me realize that teaching our child at a young age about safety and health is imperative. This includes health of the mind and body. Of course, certain age groups need to be taught about health and safety according to maturity but it can start as young as toddlerhood. There are a few categories that I want to discuss. These categories can be discussed at any age, so let’s talk about it.

Emergency Recognition

Everyone needs to be able to recognize a person who is experiencing a physical emergency. Not only do we need to be able to recognize it, but we need to be ready to act because time is of the essence. There were several times in my line of work where I have had to call the ambulance or get ready to perform CPR. I always thought to myself, if I wasn’t here, would others know what to do. Ask yourself now, if your loved one collapsed in front of you would you be able to act? If your child stopped breathing, do you know what to do? If your baby started choking, would you know how to relieve it?

If the answer is no to any of the above questions, you need to take a CPR class (and those who watch your children). The American Heart Association offers classes nationwide, sign up now. The techniques of CPR can even be taught to a young child.

Teaching your child how to recognize when someone needs help is vital. Children that know how to count and can recognize numbers can also be taught how to call 911. YouTube is a great source to help find videos that will teach a young child about how to recognize when a person needs help.

When I was teaching my high school students, we would walk through several common emergency scenarios. I would teach them how to be prepared to call 911. If you have never called 911, it can be nerve wracking. Some information I would tell my students to know is their home, work and school addresses and places they spend the most time. Why, because the 911 operators will ask for the address where the emergency is taking place. Believe it or not, a lot of students did not know their home addresses. So, here are a few things to teach your child just in case they ever have to call 911 for themselves or someone else:

• Home Address and cross streets

• Work address

• Phone number

• First and last name

• Parents full names

• Any current medications they are taking

• Current medical conditions

• Name of their school

Body Safety

This topic can be addressed many different ways and have several subtopics. I want to focus on teaching children about their bodies being sacred. There is a book I read with my children called “Where Hands Go: the Power of No” by Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs. This book teaches them to say no in uncomfortable situations. It teaches them where hands should not go and what to do if they are ever in a situation where they are uncomfortable. It gives them the power to say NO.

This is so important for our children to understand at an early age. This is a conversation that children need to have. Too often children are made to hug people, shake hands or even give kisses when they don’t want to. Some children are uncomfortable with people because they just don’t know them and they have to warm up to them and that’s okay. If they say no or don’t want to go to a certain person, that is a boundary that should not be crossed even for family members. We have to teach them and let them operate within their boundaries when it is appropriate to do so.

We must advocate for boundaries for our children. I am a firm believer of not making children do things they don’t want to do when it comes to their bodies. We must help our children understand their power to say No and mean No. It is imperative for their physical and mental well being. So, parents be aware, recognize when a child is looking and feeling uncomfortable and don’t force them into a situation they may not want to be in.

Teach your children at all ages what body safety looks like. Of course, our young children will not need the same talk as our older children. So, discuss accordingly. Find a good book to help you explain and have these discussions. It will benefit them and you.

Encouragement

Parents, we are parents for a reason. We love our children and desire to protect them at all costs. Let’s make sure we are doing all we can to teach them to protect themselves and others. This is part one of this series. Remember mommas our children need us to be their advocates while we can. You were made for this and as always YOU GOT THIS!