Health and safety training for your kids

 Guest Post, By Katie


 Health and safety training for your kids

Parents are the first teachers that kids have. Before getting started with school life, children are
initially taught by their parents about elementary basics such as sentence formation, hygiene,
manners and etiquette. Parents therefore, have a major stake in their kids’ development, right from
the beginning.

Why should health and safety begin at home?

Health and safety training must be initiated at home, because they are two sides of the same coin.
It is the parent’s prerogative to ensure that their youngsters develop a basic understanding of health
and safety at a very early age. One compelling reason for doing so is because our own homes are
frequently havens for potentially hazardous items, such as sharp objects, chemicals and medicines.
As kids gather these skills, they become more confident, responsible and aware, qualities that will
hold them in good stead in the future.

Health and safety to be taught on a daily basis

Parents can prioritize health and safety training on the basis of their children’s’ age, interests and
ability. Here are some of them:

Oral and general health hygiene: This is something that can be introduced to very young infants.
For instance, parents could start off by washing their infant’s hands thoroughly as part of their day-to-
day diapering routine. Slightly older children can be taught the importance of brushing their teeth by
actually bringing them to the bathroom.

Nutrition: Children learn about eating habits mainly from their family. Therefore, it is imperative for
parents to inculcate good nutrition and healthy eating habits to their children. A good idea would be
to sit with them and give specific examples of healthy and unhealthy foods. However, care must be
exercised in setting good examples, because kids are very observant and are likely to replicate their
parent’s dietary pattern.

Road safety: Children aged three and above can begin to receive road safety training. A good start
would be to teach them road-crossing techniques while explaining the importance of not walking
between parked vehicles. Parents could also point towards busy, traffic prone roads, as being unsafe
places to walk across or play near. Explain the importance of not going out alone on busy roads.

Personal safety: Parents should instruct their kids to never go out with anyone, whether familiar or a
stranger, without checking with them first. When they grow older, they should be taught to memorize
their name, address and contact number. While it might not be practical to stop them from talking to
all strangers, teach them the art of discernment regarding whom to trust.

Effective approaches

Playtime: Children tend to learn a great deal while playing. This gives parents the opportunity to
integrate key lessons into their playtime. For instance, while teaching them the importance of health
and safety, parents can convert their room into a doctor’s clinic and arrange appropriate charts, lab
coats, pictures and tools.

Meal times: Another good time to impart health and safety skills is during mealtimes, as kids are
very receptive while eating. Parents can also use this time to explain the importance of shunning
junk foods in favour of healthier items. It is important to lead by example, however. Additionally,
appropriate incentives can be offered for following parents instructions.

Role-playing: Role-playing is a great way of explaining things, especially safety related concepts.
Parents might, for example, consider playing the role of dentists, fire fighters and strangers to impart
lessons on safety, health and self-protection.

Health and safety training tends to stick throughout life, which is why parents have a vital role to play
here. Kids should not only be taught important health and safety skills, but also be instructed on how
to use them intelligently.



 





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