It’s Time to Review the Safety ABCs as Children Head Back to School
With August now upon us, many are beginning to feel summer coming to an end and the start of a new school year quickly approaching. With students heading back to school, this is the perfect time to review the safety ABCs: Always Be Careful. Therefore, here are a few tips to help make going back to school both safe and healthy for your children.
We all know how challenging it can be to start a new routine or get back in the groove of an old one. Heading back to school after summer break is no different. Therefore, in the upcoming days and weeks, it can be beneficial to get back into the daily routine to best prepare your child. Also, it helps to:
Ensure they get a restful night’s sleep and start each morning with a healthy breakfast to ensure they are alert during the school day.
Have conversations with your child. Begin talking with your children about what to expect, and after the school year starts, continue these touchpoints about their day at school. These conversations can take place on the commute to and from the bus stop or after-school activities, around the dinner table, or before they head to bed. These daily check-ins will help you identify any signs of bullying or other challenges they may be experiencing at school and allow them to be addressed early. Also, if your child will be home alone after school, establish rules and talk with them about what to do and who to contact in the event of an emergency.
Check your child’s immunization record or schedule a visit with their physician, as some schools require children to be up to date on vaccinations to protect the health of all students. If you are unsure of your school’s requirements, check with your child’s doctor, their school, a childcare provider, or your local health department. Also, consider making your child an appointment for a vision screening or eye exam. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize the month of August as National Immunization Awareness Month.
When back-to-school shopping, consider more than just style when selecting a backpack. According to the National Safety Council, backpacks that are too heavy can cause a lot of problems for children, including back pain, shoulder pain, and poor posture. Look for a backpack that:
Has an ergonomic design. Although a roomy backpack seems good, the more space there is to fill, the more likely your child will fill it. The backpack should not be wider or longer than your child's torso and should never hang more than four inches below the waist. Encourage your child to always use both shoulder straps when carrying the backpack, as using one strap shifts the weight to one side causing muscle pain and posture problems.
Help provide extra visibility if your child walks to and from school with reflective material on the backpack.
Skip personalization. From backpacks to lunch kits, it is recommended by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids to skip having your child’s name on any exposed items that may give out personal information to a stranger or predator. If you want to personalize backpacks, lunch kits, or other items to ensure that the item does not get lost, use initials or write the name inside so it is not visible to the public.
Buses will soon become more prevalent on roadways transporting children to and from school and activities, and potentially requiring additional time in your commute to and from work. Therefore, it is important to be observant, obey the speed limit, and always go slow in school zones or near bus stops. Additionally, you can do your part to help kids follow bus safety, including:
Walking with your kids to the bus stop and waiting with them until the bus arrives.
Teaching them to stand at least three giant steps back from the curb as the bus approaches and board the bus one at a time. Also, remind them to wait until the school bus comes to a complete stop before getting off.
Reminding them never to walk behind the bus. If they need to cross the street after exiting the bus, they should take five giant steps from the front hood of the bus, make eye contact with the bus driver, and cross when the driver indicates it is safe – looking left, right, and left again before crossing the street.
Protecting our Future Generation
The Progressive Agriculture Foundation (PAF) is gearing up for our busy fall season, as most of our Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® (PAF Safety Day) programs tend to take place in the fall at the beginning of a new school year, or in the spring as the school year is ending.
Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, PAF Safety Days offer hands-on activities and demonstrations designed to educate children, ages 4 to 13, on a variety of topics. After participants learn potentially life-saving messages, they return home to share the knowledge they gained with their family and friends. Since its inception in 1995, the program has reached millions of participants.
You, too, can join the mission and provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Visit www.progressiveag.org for more information and click on Get Involved to learn about volunteer opportunities, donating to the cause, or how to bring a PAF Safety Day to your local community.