Whether you live in the suburbs or a big city, you’ve undoubtedly seen or have been the victim of road rage. If you live near busy highways and freeways, you may see it on a daily basis. When you hear stories of people being followed home and shot because of road rage, it makes you fearful for the safety of your teenage drivers.

While it’s not a fun topic of conversation, it’s important to talk to your teens about road rage and what to do if they encounter it.  [Read more…]

As parents, keeping our children safe is our top priority. We know to keep them away from sharp knives, flames and water. We teach them the danger of strangers, to avoid dogs we don’t know and to look both ways when we cross the street. 

But, did you know that many child-related injuries are caused by the most innocent of objects? Objects that are meant to bring joy and happiness in the safety of our homes? It’s true. Many toys have been recalled over the years, either due to an accident, serious injury or simply because they don’t meet the safety standards put in place to protect us and our children from harm.  [Read more…]

One thing most teenagers have in common is their ability to overlook danger. Some young people think they are invincible, but the following guide will help your teen appreciate safety precautions.

Workplace Safety

Many employment opportunities available to teens require them to take certain safety precautions. Maybe your teen is working as a lifeguard at a pool or an apprentice on a construction site. Point out the importance of wearing flip flops or men’s work safety boots when on the clock. Stress the need to follow procedures and adhere to checklists. While teens often roll their eyes at wearing the proper attire and doing things by-the-book, they may think twice once the dangers are made clear and risks are put into perspective. 

Wearing Seatbelts

You might think that getting a teen to wear seatbelts would be easy, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, teens don’t think about wearing their seatbelts, and that puts them in danger. Your teen may not be doing this on purpose; it just hasn’t crossed your kid’s mind. If scaring them with images of what could happen doesn’t help, offer statistics about how many kids their age get in car accidents each year, which you can find online.

Sports Safety

Sports can be an important part of development, but they can also be dangerous. Teenagers need to be mindful of that fact. If your teenager plays sports at school, then the coach will probably help with this. Coaches stress the importance of safety, but if your teen plays a sport at home or around the neighborhood, you may need to worry about safety. Playing for fun is not usually seen as something dangerous, but it can be. You want to make sure your kid stretches, wears protective gear and does whatever else is necessary to be safe. A good documentary about what could happen from playing a sport without taking precautions might help convince your teenager.

Practicing Smart Web Use

Everyone is online nowadays, and your teen is in there, too. You have to do your best to teach your kid to be safe online. The idea that there are dangers to worry about on the web may not sound real to a teen, but there’s a lot to consider. You have to worry about malware, viruses, cyberbullying, and so much more. A good way to teach your teen about online safety is to have your kid take an online safety course unless you prefer to take one so that you know what to teach your teenager.

Sex-Related Precautions

You may not want to talk to your teenager about this, but the reality is it may be something your kid is thinking about. What is worse is that some teenagers don’t think about safety if they go down this route. If there is going to be any type of sexual activity, you want to make sure your kid understands the importance of safety. You can have your teen talk to his or her doctor about the importance of safe sex. Allow the doctor to tell your kid everything there is to know about the dangers of unsafe sex.

These are some things to worry about as a parent and how you can teach your teen to take safety seriously. It’s going to take your kid some time to appreciate these lessons, but your teen should come around.

The next time your kids ask to play at a friend’s house, it’s best to let them have a little fun. Many parents underestimate what play can do for their children. Whether they like to build designs with blocks or create a show with dolls, it’s essential for kids to access dedicated playtime. That’s because play provides extensive benefits.

Here’s why every child should experience playtime.

1. Play Builds Crucial Social Skills

Everyone makes friends at their own pace. If your kids aren’t exactly social butterflies, it’s okay. That said, it’s important for all children to socialize with their peers whenever possible. This time with others helps your children grow mentally and emotionally over time. They learn social-related skills like communication, teamwork and confidence. [Read more…]