Many parents are terrified of letting their kids out on the street alone due to the risk of injury by cars. Yet, you can’t shepherd your children around forever. At some point, you will need to let them travel alone.
You can build their freedom up gradually. For example, you may let your six-year-old walk or cycle to the next street to knock for their friend long before you let them travel to school without supervision.
Here are a few things that you can teach them to help them stay safe when enjoying their first taste of freedom:
Stand back from the curb
Whether waiting for the school bus or waiting to cross the road, they shouldn’t stand right on the edge. It only takes one person fooling around to knock a child into the road or one driver who is not fully in control of their vehicle to catch them with their mirror. Standing a few steps back gives your child a margin of safety.
Phones and roads don’t mix
Put phones away and remove headphones before crossing the road. Unfortunately, your kids will see many adults setting a bad example. Talk to them about why it is crucial to be fully alert when crossing the road.
Sometimes the slow way is faster
Yes, the crossing may be a little further to walk to, or the less busy route may take an extra five minutes, but that is time well spent if it prevents an injury.
Unfortunately, an accident could still occur even if your child follows all these tips. In this case, you’ll need help to understand what to do next.