As a parent, it’s your job to protect your child, not only in your home but out there in the real world as well. The debate over whether the world is more or less dangerous than it was when we were kids continues to rage, mostly because of stranger danger and the wide world of the Internet.
Whether the world is safer, or not, as a parent you will do anything to protect your children. In this blog, you can find a few of the top ways to protect them, whether it’s traveling, on the streets, or on the Internet.
When traveling/car safety
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for children in the United States, with over 120,000 children being injured on a yearly basis. Many of those injuries and deaths are because children weren’t in car seats or their car seats weren’t installed properly.
However, while most parents know that it’s important to have your child in a car seat, once they start to outgrow their seats, many parents just put them in a seat belt. This is not only illegal; it’s also dangerous. From the age of four to eight years, from 40 to 80 pounds, and if your child is under 4 feet, nine inches tall, they should be in a booster seat.
It is important to note that putting your child into a booster seat before they are ready can cause serious injury in an accident, as well as putting them in an ill-fitting one. There are many options on the market today, so make sure that you do your research and choose wisely for your child.
Stranger Danger
While it’s true that children will encounter strangers throughout their lives, children are innocent and trusting. Most parents have taught their kids to always respect their elders, however, it’s also important to teach them about stranger danger.
You don’t want to make it where your child is terrified of anyone they don’t know, so make sure to define what a stranger is. A stranger is someone your child doesn’t know, but they need to know who the “safe” strangers are as well. For example, police officers, teachers, and firefighters that are there to help, not harm. It’s also important to teach your child what to do in a situation where a stranger approaches them. The more knowledge your child has, the safer they will be.
On the Internet
In today’s modern world, parents have to worry about their children more than normal. While the Internet is a great invention, it can be dangerous to unsuspecting children as well. Just like the real world, the Internet world has its “dark” side. There are Internet predators that surf the web looking for children to take advantage of.
There are safety precautions you can take. One is to step into your child’s cyberworld. While they may feel it’s an invasion of their privacy, as a parent you have a duty to look at what they do when surfing online. You should do this for your teenagers, as well as younger children also.
Teaching your child where it’s safe to go and what is safe to share is paramount to keeping them safe. For example, don’t let them share their photos on social media sites or just post them anywhere. Instead, teach them to store and only share their photos through devices such as the IBI made by Sandisk. This makes it possible for you to control what photos they upload and share.
These are just a few of the top ways that you can protect your children as a parent. From keeping an eye on their Internet usage to keeping them safe when in the car, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you’re doing all you can to protect the ones you love.
