Back-to-School Safety Tips for Parents and Children
The transition from months of summer vacation to the structured school year can be difficult for many children and parents. On returning to school, many of your children could be very enthusiastic and energetic or distracted as they see and talk to many friends that they have missed over the summer. No doubt the furthest thing from their minds is safety and caution. But all it takes for an accident or tragedy to occur is one quick lapse in attention.
To ensure your child stays safe, there are several tips and to-do’s that you can review with your children before school begins. It also is a good idea to review these tips periodically during the school year.
1. Identify another child who lives near your home, and suggest that the two children walk to school or wait for the bus together.
2. Remind your child or the importance of waiting for the school bus to stop completely before crossing the street or approaching the vehicle.
3. Remind them to look all directions, not just both ways, before crossing the street, even if it is familiar territory to them.
4. Map out the route with your child that he or she will use to walk to school. Explain that it is important for them to always use the same route, and if they are going to make any changes or stops on the way home, make sure they let you know.
5. Encourage and help your child in making friends with nearby peers and classmates – there is safety in numbers, and groups will look out for each other.
6. Make sure your child knows the phone number and full address of your home, including area code and zip code. If not, help them memorize the information. Give them a card with important numbers and contacts to carry with them in their backpack.
7. Help your child understand bullying, and what to do if they encounter a problem. Speak with them about not bullying others, and help them understand what to do if they are a bystander when bullying occurs. For information on bullying, please visit the
American Academy of Pediatrics.
8. Choose a good backpack for your child. It should have wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Remind them to always wear it on both shoulders, and teach them to load it properly to alleviate any kind of back, shoulder or neck pain and injury. Be sure it is not too heavy, which can cause physical problems.
9. Remind them that while recess is a time of play and exercise, they should use caution on playgrounds and while playing with other children.
10. Last but not least, speak to them about cell phone use. They should avoid talking on the phone when crossing streets because they are less alert to traffic when they are speaking on the phone. If your child is a teen driver, ask them to please pull over to speak with friends and not drive while talking on their phone.
For more information on school safety tips, there are a number of websites you can visit. Keeping these tips in mind and sharing them with your children can help keep your young ones safe, sound and happy throughout the school year.
National Crime Prevention Council National Fire Prevention Association National Education Association
