The recent record-breaking heat has made it feel more like summer than spring. Earlier this month we started the week wearing winter coats, hats and mittens, and by Friday my second grader was sporting a swimsuit while running through our neighbor’s sprinkler.
Go global warming!
Yes, the unusually warm weather has many kids jumping for joy. Their bout with cabin fever has come to an abrupt end, and most have been rejoicing in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, this wild spring fling comes with a few drawbacks. With tens of thousands of kids frolicking outside way before school lets out for summer, the chances that something terrible may happen to them are also prevalent.
According to a new report, every 40 seconds a child is reported missing in the United States. That comes out to nearly one million children per year. Of those, nearly 70,000 are abducted.
If you traditionally wait until the end of the school year to give your kids a refresher course in stranger danger, this wacky weather should serve as motivation to amend your timeline. Kids who are given the green light to play outside all by themselves (in spring or summer) should also be given tools to stay safe, especially if they are approached by someone they don’t know.
Even very young children will benefit from lessons on the importance of being aware of his or her surroundings. Just remember to keep the techniques age appropriate. For example, elementary-aged children are much more likely to grasp lessons on stranger danger if they are read a story about the subject or encouraged to play a game related to different safety methods. Another option is to role play with your children and have them react to mock encounters with strangers. If you struggle to come up with your own lesson plan, head online. The Internet is teeming with safety tips designed to protect kids from strangers.
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