Article regards of our sister publication, Corridor Gazette. Visit their website here.
Schools have started again, which means that many children will be walking between school and home or maybe even staying alone at home during the afternoons.
Theunis Kotze, general manager ADT Inland Region, urges parents to share safety tips with their children to prevent serious incidents:
• Arrange with your child to wait inside the school premises or near the gate after school.
• If you aren’t able to go pick up your children, notify the school office and ask the receptionist to relay the message. Ensure the kids know which adults they should look out for.
• Children should be taught always to walk to and from school with a friend or a group. It’s important to stick to familiar streets and stay away from shortcuts that include quiet areas or dangers like main roads, highways or railways.
• If youngsters take valuables such as wallets and cellphones to school, teach them to keep it safely hidden and never to leave their bags unattended.
If your kids will be home alone after school, even if it’s just for an hour, Kotze recommends that they know how to use the alarm system and panic buttons. “Make a list of important telephone numbers such as the emergency services and mom and dad’s work and cellphone numbers and stick it on or near the telephone and explain when these should be used.”
Parents should also emphasise that they are not allowed let anyone into the house without their permission. If there are domestic workers at home with them in the afternoon, also ask them never to let anyone into the house if you haven’t specifically arranged it with them.
If the kids are young, make sure they know they aren’t allowed to do certain things without supervision, such as using the stove and kettle or swimming.
In case of injuries or medical emergencies, ensure that you have a fully stocked first-aid kit, that your children are aware of its location and can perform basic first aid. Make sure to store dangerous medicine out of reach of the younger ones.
