We had the April vacation safety talk a bit early.
We told stories and discussed most of the following safety points:
- There's safety in numbers
- Don't play with matches
- Don't walk on pond or lake ice without permission
- Don't swim without permission
- Don't share personal information on the Internet
- Tell a trusting adult if you face problems or if you're uncomfortable in a situation
- Don't let peer pressure lead you to do something wrong
- Don't go to strangers in a car or elsewhere
- If you're at a friend's and there is an unprotected gun, you need to tell a trusting adult right away.
- If there's danger, you need to run to safety.
There's always a range of experiences shared when you have a class talk like this. Children with older siblings typically know more than those who are the oldest in their families. Some parents have spent time talking about safety, and others haven't. Some students watch the news and others don't.
Yet, when you read the news and hear of senseless accidents or preventable hurtful events, you realize it's good to have the safety talk with students to prepare and protect them from unnecessary harm.
In the end, I tell students that most people are good people, and it's good to be observant, do the right thing, and follow the lead of your loving family members and friends. I also say that it's good to look at the statistics to realize the truth of matters as many events we fear are uncommon, yet by knowing how to be safe, we are safer.
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