Make Sure Your Kids are Staying Safe this School Year
Sydney Ford
| 4 min read
Every parent worries about their child. Are they safe, are they healthy, are they open and honest with you? No matter how big they get, in your eyes they will forever be your little one. What are you doing to make sure that your kids are staying safe at all ages? Are you aware of the things that are affecting your child’s life as they grow and develop?
Eating habits
During your child’s younger years they are like a sponge, soaking up everything that they see. That includes the good and the bad. It’s important to begin by establishing good habits at this age.
With childhood obesity growing in Michigan, healthy eating is a huge concern. Making sure that your teen knows how to eat healthy, and knows how to produce a healthy meal, is a necessity. 72 percent of kids drink soda, while only about 6 percent drink real fruit juice.
Keeping drinks in your home with less artificial sugars and flavors will help encourage healthy habits. Children go with what they know. If they know healthy, then that will be their choice, more often than not.
Eating properly and regularly is also a struggle in a busy teenager’s life. With all of the ripping and running in the mornings, 62 percent of children don’t eat breakfast every day. Breakfast is essential for energy, concentration, and keeping up a healthy figure.
Regardless of their age, showing your child the right way to eat is one of the easiest ways to make sure that your child is going to continue incorporating healthy habits, as they grow into an adult. If you are sitting down eating breakfast in the morning, chances are greater that they will want to join, or grab something for themselves on the way out.
Get them moving
Getting your kids enrolled in some sort of physical activities at a young age is not only great for their social skills, it keeps their friend circle growing and gets them up and moving.
Keeping them involved is often the difficult part. In their high school years a lot of children are choosing to stay inside and watch TV or play video games instead of heading outside to get some fresh air. Playing sports or getting active at school, they will be staying fit while having fun. Suggest that they ride their bike to a friend’s house or walk to a nearby store instead of driving. Limiting electronics time will get your kids up and out having a great time.
Keep them safe
Being concerned about your child’s healthy habits is building the foundation for them for years to come. But their health isn’t limited to what’s going onto their dinner plate, and if they are getting enough fresh air.
Schooling them on the do’s and don’ts of what to do when you aren’t around, is just as important for their safety. As a high school student they are all entranced by their new found freedom, driving.
Wearing a seat belt is the last thing on their minds. Reminding them to make it a point to put on a safety belt, will keep your son or daughter safer when they are not with you.
Some teens have a hard time keeping their hands off of their phones while they are driving. Have that discussion about how dangerous it is to drive distracted.
Be open
Know your child. That is the most important piece to understanding them and keeping them safe. Establish that open communication so that your child will feel comfortable bringing you into their life.
High school is a time for them, big things are happening and they aren’t always good things. 44 percent of kids are bullied in high school, both in person and over the internet. Being aware of your child’s behavior changes can help identify whether or not your son or daughter is having problems with bullying.
Bullying does much more damage than what you see on the surface. A lot of bullying situations can scar more than what comes from the occasional fight. Bullying can affect your child mentally. Bullying leads to depression, anxiety and maybe even health problems.
Having that open connection keeps children from turning to negative outlets. 60 percent of children have tried alcohol at least once, and half of that number have tried drugs.
There is only so much that we can do to make sure that our children stay safe physically, mentally and emotionally.
It is important to be involved in your child’s life and ensure that they are growing up to be the best that they can be, like you!
Photo credit: Alex Promios
