Sending your children to school for the first time can be an emotional experience for both the parent and the child. Parents want to make sure that they have prepared their kids for every possible scenario they may be faced with, and kids are often afraid to leave the safety and security of their parents’ arms. However, there are many lessons that parents can teach their kids to ease the transition as they start school.
Stranger Danger
One concern parents often have is that their child maybe approached by a stranger, and the child may not know how to react. Parents can sit down with the child and explain the dangers that strangers may pose, but preferably without instilling too much fear. Children should know where to find a trustworthy adult that they can feel safe with, and they should be taught to find a safe adult if a stranger is ever to approach them. Teaching the child to yell, “Stranger!” and to run away is a good lesson as well. Because strangers often try to lure children with candy, cute animals, or empty promises, children should know to never fall prey to those strategies.
Basic Manners
Your child should know to say please and thank you when talking to both adults and children. They should also know who to look for, like a teacher, in case they are feeling uncomfortable. They should never hurt or push other children, no matter how frustrated they may feel. If others are being mean to them, they should know to get an adult, rather than do something back. It’s important to also teach them to share with others nicely, but know where the line is. They shouldn’t be giving away all their lunch food to their friends, for example.
Contact Information
There are situations in which a child and parent may become inadvertently separated. For this reason, it is important for kids to know their own contact information, as well as their parents’ information. Teaching the child their phone number, address, and full name, as well as the parents’ full names is a good lesson. This is something that schools will reinforce, so teaching your child this information before they go to school will mean that the child is a step ahead of others. If the child gets lost, this information can be given to police or school officials and parent and child can be quickly reunited.
Traffic Safety
When children head to school, this often means they will have to deal with more traffic on the roads and in parking lots. It is important to teach children how to cross the street and deal with traffic. Children may not understand that drivers can’t always see them, so they should be taught to be aware of their surroundings. While crossing guards are usually present for road crossings, children should be taught how to safely cross roads on their own. If they ride a bike to school, they should learn to slow down near crossings and always get off their bike and walk it across the street. If injuries and accidents still occur, it’s important to speak with Utah bike attorneys. They should also know to look both ways for traffic, listen to their surroundings, and walk rather than run across the street.
If parents teach their children about the danger of strangers and traffic and help them learn what to do when faced with these situations, they will be prepared for circumstances when they arise. Knowing both their contact information as well as that of their parents will also help them if they get lost or separated from their parents. These are quick and easy tools to help children get a successful start at school.