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About Your Family's Safety and Security
There’s no shortage of parenting tips and advice out there. I think that one of
the most important topics is how to be an effective parent with a focus on family and everyone's
safety. I know that every topic dealing with family and parenting is
important and of course this is my own bias as the author of this particular article
and here it is- child safety
is job one, whether your child is 3 or 16.
Though it may be unpleasant to consider, we live in a world where every single day
part of your parenting activities must include dealing with these types of issues.
A common parenting tip is to teach your child to be both physically and mentally
prepared to avoid dangerous situations. For some parents this means enrolling their
child in a self defense class, while for others it means proving their child with
some type of personal safety
product.
Teaching and using safety precautions is particularly important if you have a teenager
in the family. As they step through the stages of growing up you’re inevitably faced
with the question of how much freedom they should have. The more freedom they have,
the more you need to think about equipping them to protect themselves.
So consider giving your teenager a
simple present that could really come in handy- like a
personal security
product such as defense spray. Many
people think this is something only an adult would carry, but remember that as your
teenager moves toward adulthood they may be in a position where such a product would
be good to have around.
For example, your daughter is heading off to college and you’re concerned about
her safety on campus. Here’s some information to keep in mind:
· Nationally, 15.5% of all college women are sexually victimized in some manner
each year
· Nationally, 13.1% of all college women are stalked during the academic year, with
the stalking lasting an average of 60 days
· On a campus with 6000 students an average of one rape per day will occur during
the academic year
The defense spray or a personal security
alarm is well worth the money. Take the time to role play with her, too, practicing
situations where these items could be put to use. Since women are generally smaller
and have less physical strength than men something with the element of surprise
is often a good idea. Consider a
cell phone stun gun
that’s easily accessible- it can come in very handy if a dating situation looks
like it may be getting out of hand.
So what if your children are still young and don’t go places on their own? Do you
still need to be concerned? You probably won’t find a parenting tip suggesting you
provide a young child with a can of something like mace, but you should consider
getting yourself some extra protection so you can defend the safety of your family
wherever you go. You don’t have to live in a major city for an assault to occur,
so no matter where you live think about family safety when you’re out and about
with your children.
What can you do to ensure family safety? Keep the doors and windows locked when
you’re driving, and never allow a stranger to approach your vehicle. You’re particularly
vulnerable when getting in and out of your vehicle, especially if you’re busy buckling
children into safety seats and getting everyone settled. Consider carrying some
sort of protective device with you, such as an
expandable baton. They can
be much easier to carry and concealable than
stun batons, so that you can deter
an attacker quickly and keep your distance at the same time.
Of course, the best parenting tip you’ll ever receive is to use
your best judgment and common sense when ensuring the safety of your family. Educate
yourself, be aware and be prepared, and your family will stay safe and sound under
your protection and guidance.
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