Since having kids, I have stayed up late at night, worrying about all the what-ifs! As I listen to my husband’s breath heavy next to me, my mind runs through the “what ifs” through my head over and over again. It’s now become my way of counting sheep.  I know I am not the only mom out there who does this!

So, I have headed to the professionals for their help, easing all those mom brains out there.  

Here are tips on how you could protect your child from disaster and possibly save their life! None of these tips require you to spend any money!! They are just things that take seconds every day. They are completely worth it if it protects those sweet smiling faces!

**** I am not a professional safety expert, these are just tips from people who work in this career field.  This is not professional advice, just tips from conversations with them.

 

 

Paramedic: Cover the Melon

Helmets are not optional! Most accidents occur within five miles from the home.  People are distracted, eager to get home, and tend to zone out as the navigate the familiar roads. It just takes a moment for disaster to happen. Those helmets do save lives.

Paramedics see these injuries all the time! Injuries that could have been prevented. They don’t want parents to go through that pain, they simply ask for you to be that bad guy and make them wear a helmet!

I know at times, parents just don’t want to have one more battle that day, however, it’s worth it. Teach them young, and help them form that habit.

Again, if price is an issue, most communities give away bike helmets every spring! Just ask, it could save your child’s life!

 

Police/Paramedic: Teach Them The Basics

Teach your kids the basics on the road ways. It may sound silly, but they strongly encourage parents to do so!

Teach your kids about the roads, and crossing them. I was amazed that this was even an issue they saw daily on the job, but with more and more distracted drivers this make sense.

They ask parents to teach your kids the proper way to cross the street while maintaining eye contact with drivers who have stopped for them.  Please teach them the rules of the road, where and when to cross the street. Teach them to look both ways twice; look and listen. Just because you are in a cross walk, it doesn’t mean that you are safe! Always be watching!! It’s a habit worth starting early.

 

Police: Be the Bad Guy

Chief of Police Scharf says the one thing he sees time and time again is that parents today are NOT parenting but trying to be their kid’s friends! It’s hard to look at that sweet smiling face and not give in. However, your job is to be the parent. You are not here to be their friend!

Scharf says please be the bad guy! ‘It’s not an invasion of their privacy to look in their room, their phone, their social media accounts.’ They are children until they reach the age of eighteen. Your job is to protect them.

I know it sounds crazy but by being a pain in their behind, it’s truly showing them that you care. They want you to care about their life, as much as they fight it.

Wouldn’t you want them to grow up to hate you, rather than not grow up at all?

When they do screw up, big or small, teach them to take responsibility for it! Don’t make excuses or push blame. It’s ok if they get in trouble. It’s just as much a teaching moment as when they were throwing a fit in Walmart at age two!

They have friends, you are not one of them, you are the parent!

 

I hope all of these tips have helped ease all of those parents’ minds out there. The one thing that everyone I interviewed said was, ‘if you have questions, just call us! We want to help parents. It makes our job easier!’ Please don’t feel scared to reach out to any first responders with your questions!