Parents of tweens know how difficult it can be to care for a child this age. While not yet teenagers, they make sure mom and dad know they aren’t “babies” either. Sometimes tweens will push to be treated more like high school students; however, when it comes to safety, don’t forgo these four necessary safety rules.
Motor Vehicle Safety
Insist every child under the age of 13 ride in rear seats for optimum safety.Your tween is going to beg to sit up front with you, and it may sound fun to have him or her right next to you, but resist the urge to say yes. This is because children can be seriously injured by the air bags that deploy if an accident occurs.
Sure, it’s fun to be the cool parent, but in the long run it’s better to be the safe parent.
Aspirin Safety
Do not give your tween aspirin as a general rule. Only your physician should approve giving a dose of this medicine to a child, as they have a chance of contracting a deadly illness called Reyes Syndrome.
To be safe, the Mayo Clinic suggests, “…children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This includes plain aspirin and medications that contain aspirin.”
Of course there are limited exceptions to this rule, but only a doctor should make the call in the case of a tween.
Drowning Prevention
Again, just because a child has had swimming lessons, he or she should NEVER be allowed to swim alone. It just makes good sense to always supervise a tween swimmer.
As stated by Safe Kids Worldwide, drowning is “… the third leading cause of injury-related death among children 19 and under.” That statistic should alarm a parent, and it should reinforce the notion that even a backyard pool is not safe. Your tween could slip, fall, and drown all in the time it takes to use the restroom!
No Accidental Shootings
Too many tweens are accidentally killed by a family owned firearm. If you have a tween, don’t ever assume that he or she will keep away from an unlocked gun because you said so. Instead, keep firearms locked and far away from any children.
Believe it or not, some families store loaded weapons over beds or next to doorways; however, this presents a greater chance for a child to be injured. I know you want to keep your home safe, but it’s better to keep your tween safe.
Not a Grown Up Yet
Tweens want to be thought of as older than they really are – it’s in their nature. Resist the urge to let safety rules go lax because of this attitude. Remember, it’s your responsibility to keep your child safe from harm. Follow the above necessary safety rules to keep your child safe.