Life is hard, there is no question about it, but at the same time it is full of delights and pleasures that make it all worth a while. Take children, for example: rearing them into adulthood is no easy process but there are so many rewards, like a child’s smile that makes getting up at 3AM to change his diapers easy for the parent. In fact, parenthood is one of the greatest gifts any person can wish for, despite all the effort necessary to keep a child well-dressed, fed, and safe. The latter is perhaps the most challenging on a daily level because children require constant supervision. Both or at least one parent needs to take care of the little ones 24/7, keeping track of where they are and what they are doing, which can be tiring at times, since children are inquisitive and have a hard time recognizing what is dangerous to them.
The day they are born become the day they become the center of our universe, so our children’s safety takes first place on the list of life priorities. Physical harm is perhaps what worries parents the most, especially when kids are still young. Their exploring of the world around them can quickly turn into a nightmare for the parent, so attentiveness is necessary. That is why injury prevention should be a top priority, as you are not entirely powerless and there are measures you can take to ensure you child’s safety in situations in life.
Home safety
The family home should be the least dangerous place for children. This is their safe haven where they can play and learn while protected by both parents and the whole family. However, in reality accidents happen within the safety of the home, because or in spite of this protective bubble. The thing is parents tend to relax too much thinking that nothing bad can go wrong in such a familiar surrounding, so they fail to take precaution against numerous dangers that lurk inside the house.
Even adults can get injured inside the house, let alone children. Power outlets, running water or a high staircase without a balustrade are just some example of places that can turn lethal. That is why new parents have to instruct their child what they can and can’t do inside the house and educate them on how to play safely. For instance, they can forbid them from going to the basement or they can lock away all the power tools and firearms, if any in the house. Even sharp edges of square tables can be 
a cause of injury, so drop the idea of the home as some sort a super safe place.
The playground rules
As you might have noticed so far, play is the most dangerous activity your children can undertake. It is the best possible manner in which they gain knowledge so it should be encouraged but only if it’s safe enough. For instance, community parks, kindergartens and schools all have playgrounds where tens of children play at the same time. The risk of injury here is low but still existent. Falling from high places is the most common source of injury, so hold your child while he or she attempts to climb the slide for the first couple of times. He will learn how to perform this activity safely after some time but parental support is crucial at the beginning to prevent any injuries. Supervision is the keyword when it comes to taking your kids outside to play, as well as making sure there’s good cell phone coverage, in case of an emergency.
Staying safe in traffic
Despite the fact that small children rarely enter traffic unsupervised, the street is still a very dangerous place for them to be, both as pedestrians and as passengers in a car or bus. How to stay safe in traffic is something that children should be taught from an early age. They need to know that it is only safe to move on a sidewalk and that the road is reserved only for cars. Also, teach them to stop when they see the red light turn on and that the street can only be safely crossed on a pedestrian crossing. Looking left and right while crossing the street might come natural to us adults but children are unaware of the direction the danger might come from.
Kids have to be safe also as passengers inside the car, since a car crash would leave them virtually unprotected. Your car should have special car seats for children, like the ones produced by Maxi Cosi to ensure maximum protection in case of a traffic accident. Even a fender bender can cause severe injury as children don’t know how to behave in case of emergency and their size means that they get injured more easily inside the car.
The outdoors
Living in the countryside or visiting it means that children come into contact with nature, which in itself, is an excellent thing. However, the number of potential risks is substantially greater outdoors, since it is a less regulated environment. Just take the roads for example; cars travel at greater speeds so it is harder for the driver to spot a child in time to react. If an accident occurs, transportation to the nearest healthcare facility becomes harder due to the remoteness of the area. If this is true for farming villages, just imagine how hard it would be to transport an injured child to a hospital if it hurt himself while in the wild on a camping trip.
In general, farms are dangerous for children because of all the equipment and toxic chemicals that can be found there. Stepping on a rake or getting hit by a barn door are real dangers that the parent has to foresee and act to prevent them. Also, petting the farm animals is not always safe as you have no way of knowing if some of them have rabies or they are imply grumpy and prone to biting humans. Supervision should be stronger when traveling outside of town.
If you ever feel unloved, having children will prove to be the best possible life therapy you can get. That is why you have to do your utmost to make sure they are safe and out of harm’s way. And, no matter how old they are, they will always need your help and support.
About the Author: Sarah Jessica Smith is a young blogger from Sydney. She is in love with life and all the things that can make her daily routine easier. She loves to write about home improvement, lifestyle, and all the small things that make life such a great adventure.
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