In the comfort of our own homes, it’s easy to
forget that our children could be at risk for injury or harm. When were at home
or our friends’ homes, we’re in our own comfort zones, which means we are more
relaxed and calm, which can be a dangerous combination for our children.
A few years ago I attended a pool party. A
pool party seems harmless enough, doesn’t it? There were several adults and
children present. The adults congregated around the deck to mingle and smoke
hot dogs on a fire pit while all the kids swam in the pool playing a variety of
games, including Marco Polo. I can still remember hearing those shouts, “Fish
out of water!”
There were probably at least twenty adults
outside drinking and barbequing on the fire pit and a handful inside enjoying
the air conditioning. In general, most adults were within ten feet of the pool
and with so many adults present, you would assume someone, anyone, was watching
the children, right? Wrong…
As I listened to a story, I suddenly heard a
loud bang. It was the sound of a door crashing into the wall. I turned and saw
my uncle running full speed out of the house. He jumped over the patio fence
and dove into the pool fully clothed. A child was at the bottom of the pool...No
other adults had noticed even though we were all only a few feet away. None of
the other children had noticed either since they were too caught up in their competitive
game of Marco Polo.
It wasn’t until my uncle surfaced with the child
did the panic set in. This child was a good swimmer and about six years old,
but he almost died that day. Luckily, he didn’t because my uncle just happened
to see from the second story window of the house that a child was at the bottom
of the pool, not moving.
In this situation, I think everyone assumed
someone else was watching, but no one was. So as a safety reminder when you’re
in your backyard or anywhere for that matter, never assume someone is watching
your kids unless they specifically indicate they are or will watch them in your
absence. No one wants to lose a child, so don’t put your child at risk.
In addition to being 100% certain your child
is being supervised at all times, remember these summer safety tips:
•
Always wear sun block. Even on cloudy days, sunburns still
occur and they occur often. Prevent peeling skin, premature aging and cancer by
applying sun block to your little one every few hours.
•
Always have plenty of water and snacks on
hand and make sure your child is actually eating and drinking. We can’t rely on
children to feed themselves since when they are having fun, fun always comes
first.
•
Practice fire safety. If you use camp fire pits in your
backyard like me, make sure the fire is always attended and never allow
children to get closer than three feet from the flames, unless they are
directly assisted by an adult.
•
Always check your backyard thoroughly before allowing your children to
play outside. Even in our own backyards, surprises can happen! I found a mouse
carcass once, so keep your eyes peeled for other traces of animal activity like
droppings, snake holes, etc. Most kids are explorers at heart, so the last
thing we want is our children to stick their hands in snake hole or eat
droppings.
We all know summer is about having fun with
our families, but when we have fun we sometimes forget safety. Before your next
backyard party or outing, remember these easy safety reminders to ensure your
day is fun and free of harm.
Author Bio
Karen Ho Fatt is an outdoor enthusiast who loves
using her camping propane fire pit whether she is at home with family cooking marshmallows or out in
the woods. You can read reviews at her website on different campfire rings for sale and get the latest fire safety tips for your family.
