Millions of parents are currently homeschooling their children, which can result in several issues. You not only have to figure out your child’s curriculum, but you need to find time to do it while you’re possibly doing your own job. While making sure your children continue to receive a strong education is an important priority, you also need to make sure that your home is safe, now that they are spending a lot more time in it. Here are some things to think about to ensure your children stay safe while you are homeschooling them.
Child-Proof the Home
The first thing you’ll want to do is child-proof your home. You likely already have some precautions in place, but it’s a good idea to go over them again now that your kids are home during the day. Start by looking at the basics – are there gates to cover the tops of stairs? Do you have covers on your electrical outlets? Are the products under your sink carefully locked away?
After doing some of the basic precautions, there are a few other things to look for. Are tall furniture pieces secured into the wall, so they don’t tip over? Are there any carpets or wires laying around that your child could trip over while running? Do furniture pieces with sharp edges have covers on them? Of course, the safety precautions you need to take will depend on the age of your children. The important thing is to do a careful inspection of your entire home to ensure everything is in order.
Bike Safety
Even though you’re homeschooling, you’ll want your kids to get outside from time to time. When they do, they may want to ride their bikes. You should check your child’s bike to make sure the tires have enough air and tread on them, and that the brakes are working properly. If your child is using training wheels, check that they are secured on tightly. Lastly, either talk to your child about important bike safety rules, like always wearing a helmet and biking on the right side of the road, or let them know they can’t get on their bike without an adult.
Careful Driving
Along with yard time, you may also need to take your kids on errands that they would normally be at school for. This is why it’s a good idea to remind yourself of some basic driving safety habits, now that your kids will be in the car with you more often.
According to SteinLaw, a group of accident lawyers in Aventura, FL, busy roads are one of the leading causes of car accidents, with the others being distracted driving, impaired driving, and poor road conditions. Whenever you get into a car with your kids, make sure you are fit enough to drive. Beyond that, avoid going out if the weather is too bad, and give your car a routine inspection. Some simple checks like this are a small price to pay to keep your children safe.
Buy First Aid Supplies
No matter how careful you are, there may come a time when an accident happens within the home. Therefore, you should have a supply of first aid materials stored someplace convenient. In your home you’ll want to have items like bandages, rubbing alcohol, cotton swabs, adhesive tape, and a first aid manual. Put these all in a bin that’s easy to open, then store it someplace you can get to easily, like under your bathroom sink.
Plan Plenty of Activities
Finally, you should be sure to plan plenty of activities for your kids. The more activities you have for them to do throughout the day, the less time they will have to run off and do something that causes an injury. It’s hard to plan an activity for every minute of the day, especially when you have other responsibilities, but the more you can find, the better.
Work in consultation with your children’s teacher to find activities for your kids to do. There are also plenty of suggestions online for things your kids can do. Here are some great resources to get you started, which has a bunch of science, math, and reading activities.
Make Safety a Top Priority
A good education is a priority of yours, but it shouldn’t be the top priority. It’s hard to learn if there’s an accident in the home, so make safety the number one priority instead. Hopefully, the tips above will help to make homeschooling a safer time and your kids will be able to learn undisturbed.