8 tips to help keep your child safe this school holiday

It’s school holidays. This means kids will be at home while many parents will be at work during the day. But being away from your children doesn’t mean you can’t ensure their safety.

Here are eight tips to help keep your children safe during the school holidays.

Get a trustworthy adult supervisor
Don’t leave your children alone in the house and think they are safe just because the house is locked.

Always make sure there is an adult you trust who can supervise them. If it means you have to pay the person to look after them, do so. It’s better to pay and ensure your children are safe than to risk their safety.

Don’t leave your children under the supervision of other children
Parents sometimes make the mistake of entrusting other children to look after their children. This is not a good decision.

It is always advisable and best to get an older, more responsible person to look after your children when you are not available.

Don’t allow them to wander off on their own
It’s not wise to trust that your kids are safe if you don’t know where they are. So, don’t allow them to wander off on their own unless you are sure there is someone who can keep an eye on them.

Even when it comes to playing, don’t allow them to go play without adult supervision or to be in places where they can't be seen by their carer.

Ensure they keep the house locked
Tell your children to keep the house locked always and to never open to anyone, especially strangers.

When it comes to family members or friends wanting to visit, remember it’s not always strangers that might harm your children. Studies have shown that most sexual assault victims know their attackers, which means you also need to take care with family and friends who are visiting. Tell your children to get permission from you before opening the door for relatives who are visiting.

Childproof your home
Remove all dangerous substances and items that may be within reach.

Don’t leave the iron on the plug, even though the switch might be off. The child might accidentally switch it on.

Don’t leave candles or matches within reach as your children might want to experiment and end up burning themselves or even burning the house down. Also, keep medication out of reach of children. They might be curious and put themselves in danger.

Remember to remove any choking hazards. Any object that can fit in a child’s mouth is too small for him or her to play with.

Make sure your phone is on and your children can reach you
Keep your phone fully charged and on in case your children need to contact you.

If they haven’t memorised your cell and work number, it is important that you write the numbers down and put them in a place where they can see them. e.g. the refrigerator door.

Also, remember to write down other emergency numbers in case they can’t get hold of you.

Don’t leave your child alone in the car
Although you might think your children are safe in the car because you have locked it, this might not be the case. The inside of a car also heats up much quicker than you’d think, and leaving your child in the car can be dangerous to their health. Rather be safe than sorry and ensure that you take your children along when you leave the car.

Keep a close eye on your children at the mall
Malls are usually busy during the holiday season. Don’t allow your children to go to the mall alone and even when you are with them, keep a close eye on them.

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