How do you feel when you let your child go outside to play every day? Even though you know they must be allowed out it’s still pretty nerve wracking because you don’t want anything bad to happen to them. You can buy them all the best toys in the world to try and keep them locked up in their bedroom for as long as possible, but you know it’s not going to make any difference. No matter how addicted they become to the Xbox they will be spending a lot of time wandering the streets.
Do you remember how you used to feel when you were a child? I bet you felt indestructible like nothing in the world could do your harm. Your parents, on the other hand, were probably secretly praying you came home at night. You want to feel safe when your kids are outside and we’re going to look at some of the things you can do so you do feel safe. Have a look at these ideas and try them out for yourself. You’ll still worry about them, but not as much as you used to.
Give Them a Mobile
You wouldn’t have had one of these when you were a child, so you might not appreciate how good they can be. If your child is out playing you can always call them and when they answer you can breathe a sigh of relief. If they get hurt and are a little bit away from home they can call and you can go to pick them up. Just don’t give them anything too fancy because there is always a possibility of it being lost or stolen.
Start Tracking It
Did you know it’s also possible to track a mobile phone once you install some tracking software on it? This is great for a huge number of reasons, but the most important one has to be locating your child if they don’t call you. It doesn’t mean to say you should run out and search for them when they don’t answer the phone, but if they don’t come back for dinner you can find them. You can also get the mobile back if it’s been stolen or even lost.
A Suitable Curfew
Once your child reaches a certain age they will maybe be allowed to stay out longer, but it’s up to you to decide when they should be home. Once they are grown up they can do whatever they want, but you can’t let them out until all hours of the night when they are still young. The children without curfews might think they are lucky, but don’t let your child hassle you into letting them stay out too late if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
A Line They Can’t Cross
Don’t let them play too far away from the house when they are young. Keep them within a safe distance and if anything was to go wrong you could get to them quickly. As they get a little older you might give them more freedom, but it all comes down to how safe they will be. They should always be able to walk home before it gets dark. If they do want to play with a friend that lives far away you should arrange a time to pick them up.
Lots of Little Talks
Children will always try to take risks and see how far they can push things. This is just a part of growing up and if you don’t want them to go too far you have to sit them down and talk with them. Tell them what they’re allowed to do and what they must avoid. At the end of the day, you can’t exactly stop them from doing something when you’re not around, but if you speak to them regularly they are much more likely to not try anything too stupid.
Today’s guest post is contributed by Sheldon Lewis. A father of two, he likes to give the necessary freedom to his children, but also asks them to adhere certain guidelines for their safety. A firm believer in technology, he uses the webwatcher software to track their movements.
