IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND!

      Toddler years are times of adventure for our little ones. There are times when they wander and explore, and we as parents, must be attentive to our children. As summer approaches, toddlers are often outside playing and enjoying the fresh air. Which brings me to the subject of protecting our little ones from traffic when playing outside. I have seen firsthand, caregivers who let their children roam outside too far away from them. This is extremely dangerous.

 

I know that we want to give our kids freedom but we still must keep them fairly close to us to protect them from incoming traffic, which includes neighborhood traffic. Sometimes we take that for granted, but we can’t afford to. It only takes a second for a toddler to run out into the streets and risk getting hit by motorists. They need to be supervised closely, and not just in terms of eyesight, but also in proximity.

 

I have a neighbor, who allows their child to freely play and there have been several times when I’ve witnessed the child roaming in the streets and a car would come close to hitting them. Now, that is scary. Yes, you could say that some kids are neglected. But I’m sure that most of us parents try to do our best to keep our littles ones safe, but we’ve got to get a tighter grip on keeping an eye on them…because it only takes a second! It really does.

According to “Makingthelink.net”:

Figures published by the Department for Transport show that in 2011, 2,412 children under the age of 16 were killed or seriously injured on the roads.

http://makingthelink.net/child-deaths-road-traffic-accidents

 

There is traffic coming from all directions.  You should not trust your child or motorists  to be liable for insuring their safety.

 

Here are a few tips from one caregiving parent to another:

 

    • Do not trust that your toddler will stay close to you!

    - I have also witnessed caregivers allowing their toddlers to walk free-handedly in the parking lots without holding their little ones hands, or at least have them hold onto the shopping cart.

     

     

      • Do not assume that drivers will see your toddler!

      - Drivers have tons of things on their minds.  They are a rush, can be distracted or have an emergency.  Let’s not forget that your toddler is small and may be out of their sight of vision. 

       

        • Keep your toddler not only in visible sight, but also fairly close to you when outside!

        - Whether it’s in a parking lot or your own subdivision, toddlers are smaller and may be overlooked. Prevent them from playing in driveways without adult supervision

         

          • Err on the side of caution!

          - Don’t assume that every motorist is looking out for your little one.  Do not trust that your child is looking out for their own safety.  A child is a child; while in the moment of play, that is all they are concerned about.

           

          Just a word of advice for a concerned parent.

           

           

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