Be a safe family, brought to you by WNIC 100.3 FM and the Wellness Plan.
100.3 WNIC and the Breakfast Club. Thanks for turning us on this morning. Today our topic is safety. Whether we're discussing the home or the car or the playground, wherever, sometimes we forget how important it is to use just a little common sense when it comes to safety.
And we have a special guest visiting us at WNIC to offer some nice advice for most of us who from time to time may forget to be safety conscious. Her name is Julia. Welcome to the Breakfast Club. Hi.
Julia, it's not often that we get to talk to an expert on anything, let alone a 12-year-old expert. How did you become proficient in the area of safety?
Well, actually, I began as a babysitter. Most babysitters aren't experienced parents, and I figured if I'm ever going to do a good job, I better start practicing now.
You know, Julia, being a mother of two and using babysitters, I'm impressed. Can you tell me how you are prepared?
Well, first of all, when I babysit for somebody, I always ask if I can have a list of phone numbers or I can contact them. That way if something goes wrong, I know where I can reach them.
Okay, thanks. Where are your emergency exits? I ask where all the emergency exits are, and also I always lock the doors and never open them to anybody I don't know.
Another thing is, I soon realize that kids can get pretty active, and so I never leave them unattended.
Well, if a couple kids are just playing in their own house, what could go wrong?
Well, you'd be surprised to know that common stuff like toys can cause falls or even choking.
Little kids choking, that's a terrible thing, and that probably happens a lot, doesn't it?
Yeah, children under the age of six are at the most risk for choking, many times by the toys that mom and dad feel are safe.
When you buy toys for infants, they shouldn't be too small to swallow or contain small parts.
Is it broken? Fix it. Fix them? Okay, let's see if we can fix it.
If your toys are broken, you should repair them immediately or throw them away.
And when you buy new toys, make sure you throw all the wrappings and ribbons away.
Another important thing is balloons, whether they're inflated or even the pieces of balloons that have already popped can cause choking in children under three.
Another thing to remember is that if little kids have older brothers and sisters, remind them to put their toys away.
The younger children could get into them and they could get themselves hurt.
So basically, Jilly, are you saying toys are dangerous?
Well, no, not all toys are dangerous, but some of them are, so you shouldn't take your chances.
Did you know that every year thousands of new toys enter the marketplace?
There's no way that mom and dad can check every single one of them, but here's some stuff they can do that'll help.
When you buy toys, make sure that they fit the skill level and ability of the child.
When your child is playing with the toy, you should make sure that you supervise.
You should also teach your child how to play with the toy the right way.
It might help to read instructions on the box.
Insist that your children put their toys away, that way they'll avoid tripping over them or breaking them.
That's really good advice on toys. What else should we watch out for?
Well, children love to play dress-up, sometimes in mom and dad's old clothes, but sometimes even the clothes they play in can be dangerous.
When your child is playing dress-up, you should make sure that the clothes they are wearing are short enough so that they don't trip over them.
Also, high heels, they're unstable for small feet. I hate to be a spoil sport, but I'd advise against them.
One more thing, children love to play with mom's old makeups, but the problem with that is it can cause eye infections and skin irritations.
So, if you're going to use makeup, use costume makeup as a substitute.
Boy, you know, as a kid, I don't remember my house being that dangerous, but it sounds like just having fun around the house can have its moments.
Oh, it's not only playing. It's electrical outlets and cords, blind and drapery cords, and small appliances.
You know, we've talked about electrical cords and small appliances. Can you give me some examples?
Well, think about it. A lot of electrical outlets are at the eye level of a small child.
That makes them tempting to poke things into. It only takes one moment, and zap, there they go.
Thousands of children receive shocks and fatal burns every year.
So, tell your children not to poke stuff into outlets and to stay away from them.
You should insert plastic safety caps into unused outlets. That way, nothing can be poked into them.
You can buy these plastic safety caps at most grocery stores.
Also remember, don't run cords under rugs. After a while, they can get damaged by foot traffic and become a fire hazard.
Also, get rid of frayed cords.
You mentioned cords. What about, like, blind and drapery cords?
Well, for some strange reason, kids love to put those around their neck. But that's a big no-no.
The reason for that is that kids can be strangled in a short period of time that they're left alone.
Don't let your child play with drapery cords. It's good practice to tie them to a cleat out of reach.
Keep your child's crib or bed away from windows with blind or drapery cords.
And if you're hanging a toy from your child's crib, make sure there isn't a string on it that's longer than 12 inches.
Okay, we've covered cords and electrical cords and drapery cords. What about simple appliances? Can they be dangerous?
Oh, yeah. Small appliances and children don't mix.
It's fun to help around the kitchen. I used to all the time.
But you should also tell your kids that if they're going to help, it can be dangerous.
They shouldn't be pressing buttons when they don't know what they'll do.
If you have to leave the room, make sure you turn off the appliance or take your child with you.
Boy, hearing all of these things, it makes me not even want to stay in my house, maybe go to a safer place.
What about the playground?
Well, I wouldn't be too sure about the playground either.
When you go to the playground, make sure you take Mom and Dad with you.
Don't tackle or wrestle or throw rocks.
If you're going up the slide, use the handrail and don't push anyone off the equipment.
Most importantly, never talk to strangers.
If someone you don't know comes up to you and starts talking, walk away.
Get Mom and Dad or an adult you trust. Don't talk to them.
That's some good tips on playground safety.
But I know when we get to the playground, well, most of us ride our bikes to get there.
What about bike safety tips?
Well, there's no question that bike safety is very important.
But rollerblading safety, too, since it's become so popular.
Whether or not you're bicycle riding or rollerblading, you should always remember to wear protective equipment
like helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, gloves.
People don't realize that most accidents are caused by lack of experience.
My advice to you to avoid accidents is to learn how to stop safely.
If you can stop, then you'll reduce your risk of getting in an accident.
Never ride or skate in the street.
Be on smooth, paved surfaces. If you're going to skate on the sidewalk, stay to the right side.
Also, another reason people get hurt is trick skating, pushing, and horseplay.
Also, I'd like to add here, never challenge your dad to a 100-yard dash if he's over 40.
Because that would be unsafe for him.
But what other activities are there that kids should be concerned about?
Oh, yeah. Well, swimming is very popular, I know.
But it's scary to think about that in the time it takes to answer the telephone,
a child could drown.
So mom and dad, make sure you're always around while your child is swimming.
Never overestimate your child's ability to swim just because he or she has had swim lessons.
When you're swimming, always use the buddy system.
And if you're in a boat, remember to wear a life vest.
If you have a swimming pool, keep all the doors and gates locked.
That way nobody can get into the pool.
If you have an above-ground pool, you should remove the ladder so your kids can't get into the pool.
And most importantly, if your child is ever missing,
remember to check the swimming pool, wading pool, or hot tub first.
Boy, you've mentioned so many things. Is there anything else we left out regarding safety?
Well, another thing is organized sports.
Kids today are involved in athletics and organized sports at a much younger age.
I play soccer and lots of other sports, and I know from personal experience
that sports-related injuries are easy to come by.
Did you know that head and eye injuries are the most common?
That's why when you're playing organized sports, you should try to consider protection for those areas.
But the most important thing to remember is that sports safety begins at home.
So moms and dads, ask yourself, are they physically or emotionally ready?
You should remember that organized sports is a big commitment.
Thanks, Julia. You are a true safety expert.
Thank you.
And another thing we want to talk about is child abduction.
It's very scary, and we don't like to talk about it, but we do need to be aware of it and how to stop it.
And for that, we have Officer Pat Fanning.
Thanks, Stacey. I'm Officer Pat Fanning.
Julia's right. Child abduction can be a very scary situation,
and that's why we need to talk about it a little bit more.
Some strangers turn out to be child abductors.
Unfortunately, we don't know which strangers are child abductors and which strangers are not.
That's why it's very important to treat all strangers with caution.
One thing child abductors know is they know that kids are very friendly people.
A child abductor may attempt to be very friendly in order to gain a kid's trust so they can kidnap them.
A child abductor might offer free gifts in order to be friendly, such as candy or a toy or even a free puppy.
That's why it's very important to never accept gifts from a stranger.
If a stranger offers you a gift, don't accept and don't go near that person.
Leave the area immediately and go get help from an adult you know,
such as your mom or dad, a teacher, or even a police officer.
Child abductors also know that kids are very helpful people.
Some child abductors may appear to need help in order to gain a kid's trust.
They may pretend to be lost or pretend to be looking for a lost object, even a lost dog.
If a stranger asks you for help, tell them you'll go get help.
Don't go near that person.
Leave the area and go get help, again, from your mom or dad, a teacher, or even a police officer.
If you can't find someone you know that can help you,
go to a very crowded area and get someone's attention by yelling something like,
Help!
911!
Help!
Or you could yell something else, like this.
Help!
Police!
Help!
Police!
If you ever need to contact the police in an emergency,
you can always call 911 to contact the police in your area.
I've also got some tips for moms and dads.
Moms and dads, make sure that your child doesn't wear clothing with his or her name on it.
A child abductor can use that information to gain a child's trust
or to appear as if they already know that child.
Also, it takes less than five seconds to abduct a child from a car.
Never leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle.
It's very unsafe.
For more information on this important topic,
contact your local police department, local sheriff department, or state police post.
Now, I know that most of us work very hard to be safe,
but sometimes we all need a reminder.
Here's another safety tip.