Most parents are thrilled with the thought of their child going back to school because it helps them be more structured and children often learn better from people outside their own family. However, with school comes risks that are not so prevalent when your children are at home. The following is a look at some back to school safety tips:
Bus safety: If your child is going to be riding the bus, consider the following tips:
- Arrive to the bus stop on time, but not too early. Make sure a parent can see you until you get on the bus.
- Stand back so that you do not get hit by the bus or other cars.
- Sit facing forward on the bus. It can be tempting to talk to friends, but if the bus has to brake suddenly, etc. you could get hurt.
- Know who the bus driver is, what bus number you are on, and make sure you only get on the bus if you feel comfortable.
Friend safety: Friends can often be a danger to kids, their teasing, taunting, bullying, or sly remarks that erode esteem, or promote reckless behaviors can be a real risk. Consider these safety tips:
- Choose friends carefully.
- Introduce friends to parents.
- Make sure your friends know your standards.
Transportation safety: Walking to and from school can put you at risk of abduction, getting hit by a car, getting lost, etc. Riding a bus can mean car accident, abduction, and more. Getting dropped off by a parent can result in ridicule from others, etc. There are risks to all forms of transportation to and from school, so here are some safety tips:
- Set a time you will leave for school and be home by so that if you pass it, a parent, sitter, etc. can be alerted to the potential danger.
- Have a phone for emergencies, or to let a parent know when you are running late.
- Become familiar with how to get to and from school so you don’t run the risk of getting lost, etc.
- Be wary of people you do not see on a regular basis, and don’t talk to strangers.
- Never get in the car of someone you don’t know.
Overall back to school safety tips:
- Employ the buddy system. Children alone are bigger targets than kids with friends, so have your child walk to school with other kids, have them play at the playground with other kids, and encourage them to develop friendships.
- Use common sense. Help your children be aware of stranger danger, alert them to the potential tricks of people wishing to do them harm, such as isolating them, bribing them with promises of candy, etc.
- Set guidelines and procedures. Your child should know that if anything ever happened to you, so and so would be the person picking them up. They should know that you expect to see them home from school by a specific time, or you will worry about them and start to panic, etc.