School Days: Safety First

The relatively “easy living” of summertime is quickly drawing to a close. Particularly for parents and their school-age children, there is the heightened buzz of “back to school” talks - usually about purchasing school materials, setting goals for academic success, and issues regarding safety and well-being.

Of course, the safety of our young people is an important topical concern. Stalkings, abductions, assaults and fatalities involving children in the recent past vividly remind us of the radical redefinition of the “growing up years”, and the need to be supportive of our young people. Their safety and well-being ought to be everyone’s business. Here are some pointers for parents to promote greater awareness and safety among our youth as they enter a new school year:

• Encourage accountability in your home. Set limits and offer options. Maintain open lines of communication with your children so you will know their whereabouts outside of school. Encourage your children to be part of a Buddy System, e.g. walking to school or doing homework at the local library.
• Know who your children’s friends are. This includes knowing their names and pertinent home information. Knowing a first name only does not suffice. If necessary, help your children to make new friends.
• Routinely talk with your children about their day. Listen carefully. Validate their experiences. Do not dismiss or undermine their concerns, which are real to them. Follow up appropriately if there are indications that your children are being victimized, or are victimizing others.
• Know each of your children individually. Watch for signs and symptoms of agitation, fear or disequilibrium.
• Do simple, practical things to support your children’s development. For example, read to them (about this topic and others), and help them with homework. Have at least one weekly family activity in which everyone participates.
• Reinforce and reward responsible choices made by your children. Refuse to condone abuse or any sort of wrongful behaviour in your home.
• Instruct your children to tell trustworthy adults when something significant is wrong while they are away from home.
• Teach your children (or reinforce with them) effective road-safety skills or proper pedestrian conduct.
• Stay connected with your children’s teachers. Support special safety programmes at school. Be aware of the school’s expectations and the code of behaviour, and help your children to consistently honour these.
• Ensure that your children know of a way to contact you when you or they are away from home.
• Counsel your children to use communication devices such as phones and computers wisely. Teach them to refrain from interacting with strangers on-line. If a child is home alone, train him or her to keep the details secure. Help your child to guard against careless talk to callers. For example, “Mommy is not available to talk with you now” is preferred to “Mommy is not here today”. Establish a code or password for adults who are permitted to hold phone conversations with your child.
• Teach your children sound self-management skills. Enroll your children in Street Smart Programmes or in Assertiveness Training so they will know how to deal with untoward individuals. Important topics of learning include: self-defense, use of personal alarm signals, and de-escalation of conflict.
• Report strange occurrences in your neighbourhood to your local police. Help form a local Neighbourhood Watch if necessary.
• Model respectful, responsible and safe behaviour. Strive to practice excellent parenting skills at all times.

It is always “better to be safe than sorry” or to err on the side of caution as we support our young people throughout their formative years. They need to be given the space to take risks and develop as thoughtful, independent individuals. However, our youth also need to be safeguarded and educated so they grow up to become the best they can be. This includes having strategies in place to help make each school year fun and rewarding for them.