What could be more important than keeping our children safe? When children have the knowledge and skills to protect themselves, it considerably reduces the risk to their safety. Teaching them to avoid danger is an important lesson that many parents overlook. Use the following safety tips to help keep your children out of harms way.

1. Never leave a child unattended in the water or pool area for any reason.
2. Designate a child watcher, whether you or someone else, when you attend a party or have friends or family over.
3. Talk with baby-sitters about pool safety, supervision and drowning prevention.
4. Post rules such as "No running, pushing, dunking and "never swim alone." Enforce the rules.
5. Don't rely on swimming lessons or "floaties" to protect your children in the water.
6. Don't have a false sense of security just because you think your pool area and home are secure. Always watch your children, whether in the house or outside.
7. Attend a CPR class. Make sure your baby-sitter knows CPR.
8. Encourage your neighbors to follow pool safety guidelines, including keeping their back gates and doors locked, and their pool gates securely closed and latched.

1. Take the time to see what your kids are doing online and what their interests are.
2. Teach kids never to give out their personal information to people they meet online especially in public places like chat rooms and bulletin boards.
3. Instruct your child never to plan a face-to-face meeting alone with online acquaintances.
4. Tell your child not to respond when they receive offensive or dangerous email, chat, or other communications.
5. Establish clear ground rules for Internet use for your kids. Decide whether or not to use parental control tools or protective software.
6. Place your computer in the family room or another open area of your home.

Although your preschooler is rarely, if ever, out of an adult’s sight, it is important to begin some street proofing lessons to familiarize your child with some simple tips and ideas that are age appropriate.

1. Always speak openly with your child. You want to establish life long communication habit early.
2. Help your child build self-esteem by praising them for a particular activity or accomplishment.
3. Teach your child to rely on their instincts.
4. Respect and support your child’s right to say no at times.
5. Deliver the street proofing message in a fun and friendly way.

Team sports can be so good for your children. It gives them the chance to grow physically, emotionally and socially. However, the recent charges against minor league coaches alleged to have sexually abused their young players are important reminders to parents that children are vulnerable and should be kept safe at all times.

1. Always let your child take part in the decision to sign up for a sport. Never force a child to play a sport.
2. Get to know your child’s coach. Look into who they are, talk to them often and make sure they have a fair and healthy approach to their role with the children.
3. Be your child’s most important coach. Take responsibility for teaching your child what team sports are all about and what to expect with regard to rules, cooperation, fair play, winning and losing and standing up for their rights.
4. Maintain a healthy perspective and your kids will too.

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This information was gathered from the Child Find, Child Safety website. The safety tips you should offer a young child are somewhat different from what is useful for an older child. Use these suggestions to make your family safer.

Young children should:

1. Never admit they are alone in a house.
2. Never answer the door if they are alone.
3. Not invite anyone into the house without permission from a parent or babysitter.
4. Never enter anyone’s house without letting someone know where they are.
5. Never get into anyone’s car without permission.
6. Not take candy or gifts from anyone without asking a parent first.
7. Never play in a deserted building or isolated area.
8. Scream and scatter books and belongings if they are forced toward a building or car.
9. Move away from a car that pulls up beside them.
10. Be taught their full telephone number and address.
11. Be taught that it is okay to say ‘no’ to an adult if the person wants them to do something you’ve taught them is wrong.
12. Know that no one has the right to touch any part of their bodies that a bathing suit would cover.
13. Tell you, school authorities or a police officer if someone exposes their private parts to them.
14. Tell you if someone has asked them to keep a secret from you.
15. Go to the nearest cashier if they are lost or separated from you in a store or mall.

Teens Should:

1. Tell you where they are at all times or leave a written or recorded message at home.
2. Never hitchhike.
3. Avoid shortcuts through empty parks, fields, laneways or alleys.
4. Run home or go to the nearest public place and yell for help if they are being followed.
5. Learn to recognize suspicious behaviour and remember a description of the person or vehicle to give to you or the police.
6. If attacked for money, jewelry or clothing give it up rather than risk injury.
7. Feel that they can talk to you and call you to pick them up any time, any place.

Parents Should:

1. Avoid clothing and toys with your child’s name on it. A child is less likely to fear someone that knows his/her name.
2. Check all potential babysitters and older friends of your child.
3. Never leave a child alone in a public place, stroller or car. Not even for a minute.
4. Always accompany young children to the bathroom in a public place and advise them never to play in or around the area.
5. Always accompany your child on door-to-door activities, i.e. Halloween, school fund raising campaigns, etc.
6. Point out safe houses or homes with the Block Parent sign where children can go if they are in trouble.
7. Keep an up to date colour photograph of your child, a medical and dental history, and have your child fingerprinted.