Three happy divers on a beach

“Impossible!! It can’t be done!!”

Wrong.

We know as well as anybody that if there’s one thing parents do very well, it’s worry about their kids. How could you look at yourself in the mirror if something happened and you could have prevented it if you’d just paid more attention or been prepared for a certain situation.

That’s quite a burden and, as parents, we all share it every single day.

So what’s a parent to do? How can we insure our kids’ safety without locking them away or watching their every move? Simple. Educate yourselves and take some basic precautions. If you’re prepared, your kids will be safer and happier because of it. Not to mention you’ll have a lot less stress.

Here are a few ounces of prevention…

Swimming

• Adult supervision is required since the stakes are so high
• Use age-appropriate flotation devices
• Keep the kids on dry land if they have diarrhea
• Keep the pool water in the pool, not in your kids’ mouths
• Shower before swimming and wash hands after toilet use
• Schedule bathroom and diaper change breaks and don’t change little ones poolside

Backyard Pool-Specific

• Fence in your pool and keep latches out of little ones reach
• Secure all windows and doors leading to the pool to keep little ones safe inside
• Take the cover all the way off the pool so kids can’t get trapped
• Keep the toys away from the water so little ones won’t reach for them and fall in
• Bring the phone outside with you when it’s pool time
• Stow the steps to above ground pools when not in use

Skin Care

• To keep your child’s eczema under control, stay indoors during the hottest part of the day
• Also wash with soap, or a substitute, and apply moisturizer immediately after getting out of the pool
• Use sunscreen ANY time your kids are outside, regardless of time of day or time of year
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before the kids go outside
• Use the right amount of sunscreen on your children; go so thick it’s hard to work all of it in
• Even waterproof sunscreen needs to be reapplied often

Insect Repellent

• It’s OK to use DEET repellents with less than 10-30% concentration, always follow the directions
• Keep DEET away from your kids’ eyes, mouth, open cuts and hands (if they put their hands in their mouths often)
• If you’re wary of DEET use on children, there are many alternatives, do your research
• You can apply repellent to clothing vs. skin so it won’t be absorbed
• Kids should wear light colored clothing and avoid scented soaps as they attract insects
• Wash the repellent off your children once they’re back inside for the day

Food

• Wash your hands and the kids’ hands before handling food, after toilet use, after changing diapers, and after touching pets
• Keep the juices from raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods
• Wash anything that touched raw meat before using it on other foods
• Bring your meat thermometer with you to the cookout and use it
• Cook meats and poultry completely at the cookout site as partially cooked meats allow bacteria to survive and multiply
• Keep cold perishables in an insulated cooler with plenty of ice
• Use a separate cooler for beverages as this cooler will be opened frequently
• Keep coolers in the shade and replenish the ice when it starts to melt

Thanks to www.keepkidshealthy.com for these great tips.  We also found this video that covers some other important topics like scooters and skateboards, hydration, lawn mowers and ATV’s.

Parents, you can keep your kids safe during these hot summer months without having to stress out. All it takes is education, proper planning and a little discipline.

Get older kids on the same page so they can help with the younger ones. Tell your children what you’re doing and why it’s important. Make sure you and your spouse/significant other present a united front.

Don’t wait for something bad to happen, go on the offensive and prevent it.