How do you keep your kids safe!!??

Re: How do you keep your kids safe!!??

• mlee116 member

  June 2014

  I agree it is terrifying.  But honestly, I think a lot of these things are just random and there is only such much you can do to prevent them from happening.  I try my best to make sure DS is in a safe daycare and will be in a safe school one day but even then, these things happen at good schools.  

  
  

  I think its important to teach your kids to be aware and don't be afraid to report things that don't seem right.  And I think its important for us as parents to be honest and if something is not right with our own kids, get them the help they need.  Other than that, I don't know.  It is really heartbreaking.

  

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• 2-Step member

  June 2014

  The world is a weird place, but I think our kids are technically safer now than they have ever been throughout history. Yes, there are a lot of weird acts of violence that go on that are very publicized. but, you have to remember that the mass media is a machine that was not always around to report these things on a massive scale. When you take into account the safety of cars, carseats, bike helmets, vaccinations, modern medicine, education etc. most of us are much less likely to see one of our children severely injured, sickened or killed in our lifetime than at any other time in history. I try to remember that these are isolated incidents and then they are mass publicized, they are not the norm and our society is actually very safe compared to most places in the world and most any other time period. Some things are just not in our control. 

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• Myaflowers member

  June 2014

  I agree with @PrivacyWanted about the media sensationalizing crimes like these. I'm a mental health counselor and work with children and adolescents. I hear about kids doing horrible things to other children all the time (maybe not to this extent, but still really bad stuff). I've just come to terms with the fact that I can't protect DD from everything and try not to get too paranoid. Easier said than done.

  
  

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• dashofreality member

  June 2014

  If you want to keep your kid safe don't ever allow them in the car. Statistically, that is how your child will be harmed.

  Your child is also more likely to be killed by furniture tipping on them then by a stranger abduction. Everyone has just accepted huge risks for their children because 1. everything in life is a cost/benefit analysis and 2. the media hasn't made a big deal about it.

  I will be teaching my children about tricky people even people they know, much more so then strangers.

  DD Nov 2010 ~ DS June 2012

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• emberlee3 member

  June 2014

  As far as freak occurrences, I agree with @PrivacyWanted that you just have to keep on living. 
  
  Regarding regular old safety, I got DS the book "Kidpower Safety Comics."  I ordered it about a year ago, but I just gave it to him last weekend, and he loves it.  He says he wants to read it three times this weekend. 
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Kidpower-Safety-Comics-Introduction-Children/dp/1479147206
  

  DS born 8/8/09 and DD born 6/12/12.
  

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• RibbitGrl930 member

  June 2014

  I alsoo think it's important to prevent on the other side- raising children to not commit these crimes. Self-defense is vital, but it is simply reactive. Parents must take steps to raise empathetic children, and children who know how to express negative feelings in a productive manner. Until children are universally taught to consistently consider the feelings of others, and how to express anger with words rather than with knives or guns, then these crimes will continue and kids will be forced to constantly look over their shoulders.

   

  

   

  
  

  
  

   

   

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• SunAndRain member

  June 2014

  I teach my child HOW to be safe by teaching her age-appropriate life skills.  She is nearly two.   

  Everything from how to close a door and rules about not jumping on couches which can cause falls to holding my hand in the parking lot. Next lesson is not to talk to strangers.  This will be tough because she is social, brave and bold...she talks to everyone and even asks for bites of their food!

   A friend was over and yelled at his son who is a year older to NOT close our back door and the GET AWAY from the door. I jumped in because our backdoor cannot be left open because our cats will escape and likely get eaten by coyotes.  Are you kidding me?  TEACH your child how to safely close the flipping door!  Is he planning to follow his son around his whole life worried about him catching his fingers?  Same friend told his child to wait INSIDE our pool safety fence for him while the father was in our house.  Um, NO. Children are NOT allowed inside the boundaries of our pool fence without their parent.  Ever. And DH and I are not signing up to play lifeguard to your child because parent can't take responsibility. We teach DD to sit on the side of the pool and wait until an adult invites her in.  But never would she be inside that fence without DH or I inside the fence with her.

  I'm not paranoid but I do worry about the "what ifs".  The best I can do is to teach DD how to make smart, safe choices.

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• emberlee3 member

  June 2014

  Gun control and better mental healthcare would help, too.

  DS born 8/8/09 and DD born 6/12/12.
  

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