Child Safety

City parks (or even a McDonald's PlayPlace) have always been a little bittersweet for me. On one hand, it's a nice escape from the house. It's much bigger than the little swingset in our backyard with which she typically plays. And for my only child, it's a great way for her to get some social interaction. So in general, there are a ton of perks...

However, public play areas are not always rainbows and sunshine. (Metaphorically or literally!) Parks are filled with kiddy germs and anyone who slides down the same slide can catch them. This is particularly facepalm worthy when parents actually bring their SICK children to play! Shouldn't they be in bed, at home, resting?! I promise, I'm not a germaphobe. Some germs are to be expected. Some parents just need to use common sense.

Germs are very low on the list of concerns, though. Wooden playgrounds and wood chips on the ground never bothered me; we played on them and survived the splinters and scraped knees from falling while trying to walk up the slide, instead of going down. They're getting rid of most of the wooden castles anyway.

My main concern is the creepers. You know that you were thinking it too! You've seen them: the one adult watching the playground, maybe even saying something like, "Emma, be careful!"...but you never actually see them giving a kid juice or even stop a little one for a bathroom break/diaper change. Now, just because you don't see these things does NOT mean that the adult is definitely not there with a kid - it should, though, be reason for you to be cautious.

Even though my little one is not quite three yet, I'm trying to teach her safety tips when it comes to other adults. While my generation was taught about "stranger danger," strangers aren't always the people of which you should be leery. First off, if a person introduces himself to your child, he's suddenly no longer a stranger! If you NEVER talk to strangers, you would never make friends, order anything from a restaurant, or get a job. And family isn't always harmless themselves.

Some rules I'm trying to teach my daughter:

1) Grown ups never need help from kids. If a grown up asks for you to help find their lost dog (for example), go tell Mommy and Daddy immediately.

2) Never get into a car with anyone unless Mommy and Daddy tell you it's okay. (If the grown up says that we told him or her that it was okay, don't trust them. We will ALWAYS tell you, too.)

3) Your body is your own.

4) You can tell Mommy and Daddy anything! If someone says not to tell us something, it's because it's bad. Come and tell us anyway so you can be safe; no matter what the other person says, you will not get in trouble. (And yes, I will be telling my family to not tell her about surprise parties until she's old enough to understand the difference. Ha ha)

5) Never take anything from anyone without Daddy or Mommy saying it's okay: candy, food, drinks, toys - NOTHING.

I think it's important to learn that not all strangers are bad, and not all familiar people are good. I would blame myself forever if something happened to her and I didn't do everything in my power to keep her safe. Okay, so as a parent, I'd probably blame myself anyway.

I talked the other day about good things in this world, and there are...but there are also awful things too, and I want her to be safe and aware.