Summer safety continued...

6. it's not old fashioned to believe the old adage 'There's safety in numbers'. Teach your children to always take a friend when playing or going somewhere. Remember that even older children should not go to a public convenience alone.

7. Remind your child to stay on familiar paths. Children (esp. younger children) should never take shortcuts without their parents' permission.

8. Teach your children to trust their instincts. Often when something doesn't feel right, it usually isn't. Teach your child to have the confidence to remove him or herself from uncomfortable situations and raise the alarm if at all possible.

9. Put non-identifiable clothes on your children. Kids should not wear clothes or carry items with their name on the outside. Someone may try to trick them by calling their name. However, remaining with clothing it is always a good idea to dress your child in bright colours or unique yet subtle markers so you can keep your eye on them in a crowd without imposing on their space.


10. Regularly practice basic safety skills with your children. Should your child become lost or separated from you, teach them not to panic. Identify beforehand the safest place they should go to wait for you, or teach them to contact an appropriate adult to ask for help in reuniting them with you, such as a uniformed security guard or law-enforcement officer, store salesperson with a name tag, a mother with children, or the person in the information booth. Children should never search for you by themselves, and should never, ever go off alone with anyone who claims to be trying to reunite them with you.


Trust your instincts, know your child's weaknesses, strengths and limitations and allow your child a level of independence based on that knowledge.
As with all thing success comes with hard work and gritty determination. Parenting is not always easy but it is possible to be come a successful parent.