Scarlett Capelli asked:


One of the most enjoyable activities in a child’s life is bicycle riding. Kids seem to use bicycles to go everywhere. Teaching your child the proper bicycle safety can prevent them from sustaining any serious injuries.

The first step to safety with a bicycle is the bicycle itself. Making sure that the bicycle is kept in good operating condition is important. Your child should check the brakes regularly and in the case of hand brakes, worn pads should be replaced. Rims that have missing spokes should also be replaced to ensure that the wheels are sturdy, especially if your child is doing a lot of jumping. Reflectors and headlights are helpful accessories if your child rides in traffic frequently. You should also check that your child’s bicycle is adjusted properly for his height. If the child cannot touch the ground properly, this situation can make his ability to stop and start difficult and can pose a serious threat when riding in traffic.

Clothing is a very important element to practice bicycle safety. Your child should wear a helmet at all times to prevent him from sustaining a head injury. Smaller children who are still shaky on their bicycles may want to wear elbow and knee pads also. For children who ride regularly in traffic, reflective or light colored clothing is recommended, especially for riding past dusk in the evening. These clothes will enable oncoming motorists to see them against the dark sky.

Younger children should not ride in traffic at all and older children should refrain from doing it unless there is no other choice. Your child should try to stick to marked paths or trails instead of busy city streets. If your child does need to ride in traffic, he should always remember to travel in the same direction as the traffic. Hand signals should always be performed when turning in traffic so the motorists will know which way the child is going to go. The standard hand signals are extending the left arm straight out to turn left and bending the left arm at the elbow with the forearm pointing up to turn right. These only take a few minutes to do and can prevent your child from being hit by an oncoming vehicle.

For older children, riding double is never a good idea. Single-seated bicycles are not designed to be ridden with two people on them. It throws your balance off and both you and your passenger can be hurt in a spill.

Many children also enjoy jumping on their bicycles. This is not recommended on a bicycle with a standard design. For children that want to do a lot of jumping, the mountain bikes that are on the market hold up best during this activity. The rims are reinforced and do not bend as easily to make for easier landings. It is recommended that these children should do this kind of jumping in existing bike ramp areas. Building ramps and jumps on their own can be a key for disaster.

Bicycling can be a lot of fun, but it can be dangerous as well. By teaching your child bicycle safety, you can ensure that he has a safe and enjoyable experience.



Gayle E. Martinsen

Scarlett Capelli asked:


When teaching kids about bicycle safety and fire safety, as well as safety on the Internet, many parents forget to teach their children about electrical safety. There are a few simple rules that you need to teach your child about electricity and electrical appliances.

The most important rule for children is not to stick anything into electrical outlets. For small children under four years of age, you may want to purchase electrical outlet covers. These accessories are small plastic covers that plug right into the outlet so that any spare plug-ins are covered. For older children over five years of age, you need to explain to them that electricity is dangerous and that by sticking objects into outlets can cause them to get electrocuted or possibly start a fire.

As well as electrical outlets, you should also teach your children not to stick objects into appliances. These can also cause an electrical shock. Children should also not tear apart or try to fix electrical appliances. These devices are much more complicated than they look, and any short circuit in them can again cause electrical fires or electrocution. You should also teach them to tell an adult if they notice any appliances sparking or having a funny smell. Many fires are started by appliances that are continuously plugged in, such as toasters and coffee makers and your child may notice a problem before you do.

The bathroom can be one of the most dangerous rooms in your house. You should teach your child to be careful with electrical devices around water, such as radios around the bathroom sink or bathtub. They should also be careful around the kitchen sink and anywhere else where there may be standing water inside you home.

If the power should go out in the house, advise your children never to touch the fuse box. If someone does not know what they are doing, touching a 220-volt connector can cause enough electricity to seriously injure and even kill a small child.

Children should also be aware of the dangers of electricity that are outside as well. You should teach them that mud puddles are the same as the bathtub, and that they should not get anything electrical around them. They should also not climb electrical towers, telephone poles, or any other structure that has power lines attached to it. Children should avoid any contact with electrical lines, such as when they are flying a kite or a radio-controlled airplane.

Along with human-made electricity, children should be made aware of the dangers of electrical storms. These are those storms that have lightning and thunder, although the lightning may not always be visible. If the children are at the park, they should seek cover at the closest shelter or building. At home, they should get inside immediately and remain there until the storm passes. Many children are fascinated by lightning storms and may forget how dangerous these forces of nature can be. Adults are just as guilty of this fascination as children. Many adults have been struck by lightning on golf courses and other areas where they should not have been during a storm, while others enjoy sitting in the backyard in metal lawn chairs to watch the sky. Again, adults and children alike should remember that lightning can be deadly. Seek shelter and remain inside until the storm has passed.

Electricity is responsible for many of the conveniences that we enjoy in our every day life. It is also important to teach your children to respect it as the powerful force that it is.



Dewey Julius