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As Child Accident Prevention Jersey celebrates its 25th anniversary in the island, Express asked its co-ordinator what the five key safety messages she would like to pass on to parents were...
After a busy week welcoming Year 6 children to Highlands College where they have been learning all about how to keep themselves safe, Mandy Le Tensorer shared this advice...
Pictured: "Our role should be to encourage them and to reassure them when things don't go as they had planned."
It is really important that children have lots of opportunities to explore their surroundings as that's how they will learn to manage them.
As adults, our role should be to encourage them and to reassure them when things don't go as they had planned. Whilst no-one thinks that children should be allowed to seriously hurt themselves, as adults we must learn to occasionally step back and allow them to make mistakes so that they can learn from them and try again.
Pictured: "This is one of those occasions where I believe that it is our job, as adults to think for children and to appreciate that we need to prioritise them."
With the busy lives that we all lead it is very easy to become distracted and this is never more serious than when we are driving.
Our roads are busy and children aren't always aware of how dangerous they are. This is one of those occasions where I believe that it is our job, as adults to think for children and to appreciate that we need to prioritise them. Shaving a few minutes off of your journey is not worth a child’s life.
Pictured: "Leading by example is an important parenting tool."
I think this one speaks for itself. Children copy and emulate not only their parents, but other adults around them.
As most parents will know, it doesn't matter how many times you tell them to put a cycle helmet on, if you don't wear yours, your children will struggle to understand their value. Leading by example is an important parenting tool.
Pictured: "More recently we have been trying to raise awareness of the dangers of button batteries."
As I am all too aware, being a parent is all consuming. There is so much to do and so much to think about. We can all be forgiven for occasionally taking our eye off the ball. However, when it comes to your child’s safety it is really important that you keep up to date with the latest safety news and advice.
In the last few years we've had advice recommending the removal of plug socket covers as they may be more of a danger than a safety device.
This is something that was previously recommended and demonstrates that advice changes.
More recently we have been trying to raise awareness of the dangers of button batteries. Not something we had to worry about years ago as they weren't around as much. Now they are in all sorts of household items and even toys and we know they can be deadly.
Pictured: "Talking about safety and why we do and don't do things will help them to understand how important it is."
By talking to your child and listening to them you will have a better understanding of how they perceive the world around them and how they think they can keep themselves safe in it.
As adults we sometimes forget that children are sponges and whilst they absorb much, they often need help in interpreting information. Talking about safety and why we do and don't do things will help them to understand how important it is.
At Child Accident Prevention Jersey, we really believe that every child should have the opportunity to explore and learn whilst they grow.
However, we also believe that they should have the opportunity to develop into healthy and valuable members of our society and in order to facilitate this, their safety is something we should all be concerned with.
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