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Pedestrian safety is one of the most basic but essential skills that you will teach your children in their lives. Teaching your children the rules of the road will ensure that you can have some peace of mind when your kids are outside the house. This is a big problem — Parachute Canada, a non-profit organization which is dedicated to stopping accident-related deaths reported in 2008 that “child pedestrian injuries were the leading cause of injury-related death” for Canadian kids under 14. In a PDF document, they’ve made available has some great tips on how to prevent these injuries through proper education. You can download it here:

http://www.parachutecanada.org/downloads/injurytopics/ChildPed_Report_07:08.pdf

With this in mind, we’ll be dedicating today’s post to teaching pedestrian safety to kids.

Go beyond the basics when teaching pedestrian safety to kids

Sometimes kids don’t get much pedestrian safety education beyond recognizing stoplight signals and learning to look both ways before crossing the road. While the above road safety skills are a great way to start, it’s not uncommon for the learning about road rules to stop there. That is, until children start studying to drive in their teenage years. Need proof? Ask your kids or their friends to identify all the signs they see when you take them on a drive. There’s a good chance that there will be many gaps in their knowledge. We’d advise helping them learn as much as possible about road rules, even if your kids aren’t close to driving age yet. Awareness is a big factor in preventing pedestrian-vehicle accidents, and developing a working knowledge of road rules can only help.

Beyond looking both ways, what other traffic rules should kids know?

We’re going to assume that you’ve already taught your kids the most rudimentary traffic basics, such as going with — not against — the flow of traffic, and waiting for pedestrian signal lights. If you haven’t already, we’d advise you to get on it! However, this section is dedicated to teaching children more knowledge about the road that may not be taught so often.

Teach your children how to recognize the types of traffic stops

Can your child tell the difference between a three-way stop and a four-way stop? Which road (if any) are ‘through’ roads? What does a red blinking light mean? As a simple exercise, ask your kids to look around and count the stop signs at each intersection (especially the ones not facing them). This is a valuable skill that will help your kids anticipate where cars are coming from. We’d advise showing them the ‘rhythm’ of a four-way, so they can know which car’s turn it is to move forward. This will allow them to notice when something is wrong. Like, for instance, an unmindful driver who disobeys the stop regulations.

Teach kids how to recognize one-way roads

Unless you are a driver (which many kids aren’t), it’s not always obvious if a road is one-way or not. For example, Vancouver signage for one-road streets is often pretty small — a narrow white-on-black arrow tucked to the side of a street sign. To help kids understand the flow of traffic, explain to them the difference between white lane markers and yellow ones. For example, if they can’t see any yellow on a street, it’s probably one way.

Also, get your students to observe the direction of parked cars on the side of the road. That’s also often a good indicator of traffic flow. This skill will help kids pick a road that helps them travel with the flow of traffic.

Teach students to recognize hazard warnings

Children should know what every hazard warning looks like. This will help them anticipate when, and if, a car will go out of control. For instance, kids should recognize the sharp turn warning sign, so they can be mindful of the fact that some cars may swerve out of a lane if it’s going too fast. This will help children plan their routes to avoid danger, if necessary.

Regularly test your kids on road safety rules and regulations

Of course, the above regulations we listed are only suggestions to get you started. Don’t stop there! It would probably be wise to regularly ask your kids if they can recognize a particular sign when you go on a drive, walk or bike ride. If you detect any knowledge gaps, try giving your child an explanation.

It’s just about every parent’s worst nightmare — you let your children go out and enjoy the playground, you turn your head for a second and one of your kids has hurt themselves. The Canadian Paediatric Society says at least 29,000 children under 15 are forced to go to the emergency room for playground injuries each year. Now we don’t want you to be too alarmed — this only accounts for less than one per cent of children in Canada, but it’s still a good idea to teach kids playground safety.

Establish clear boundaries for children on the playground

According to a CBC news report, the number of playground injuries has been increasing steadily over the years. While it’s still unclear exactly what is causing this trend, some experts in the above report believe it has to do with playground design. Equipment for different age groups is sometimes grouped closely together. So for example, a 5-year-old may be tempted to use monkey bars designed for 10 to 12-year-olds. Since it’s probable that the bars will be higher and more difficult to climb, the 5-year-old has an increased chance of getting hurt on the playground.

Get involved in playground design and safety— go to school parental advisory meetings

One possible way to address this problem would be to get involved in the playground design process. If a school has announced that it will be building a new playground, participating in parental advisory meetings can be a good start. Voice your opinion and ask schools to increase distance between equipment meant for older kids and equipment meant for younger children.

However, if a school has already built a playground with older kids’ equipment close to the younger children’s play area, that may not be an option. In this case, you’ll simply have to teach kids safety on the playground by showing them which toys are appropriate for their age and which aren’t. Go to the school playground on a weekend and point it out to your children.

Showing proper play techniques is a great way to teach kids playground safety

A lot of playground injuries can be prevented by teaching children proper playground conduct in a jungle-gym type of area, or even in general play spaces. While many kids are capable of figuring out how to behave themselves in a playground, it’s best to go over these seemingly common-sense rules to be extra safe. The Alberta Health Services website has a great guide which gives some good pointers:

Some examples include:

• Waiting  your turn
• No pushing, shoving or tripping
• Keep ropes and scarves away from playground equipment and fences
• Keep clear of moving things
• Hold on with both hands when swinging or climbing
• Only one person on the slide at a time
• Slide down feet first and sitting up

Pay special attention to how your kids use equipment like playground nets or monkey bars. A study published in Paediatric Child Health says falling from equipment is the main cause of playground injuries.

Stay vigilant when your child is on the playground

There are some occasions when a parent can find something inherently dangerous in a playground. Whether it’s a broken swing or broken glass, you’d do well to report it to local authorities. If you don’t know where to start, Safe Kids Canada is a great place to go. Call them at 1-888-SAFE-TIPS, 1-888-723-3847.

Kayaking is a great summer activity that the whole family can enjoy. It can also be a chance for students to learn something new over the summer! In addition to being a fun way to enjoy the sun and get some exercise, there are a number of life lessons kids can learn when kayaking.

Lessons from the history of kayaking

But first, a little history lesson. According to Howstuffworks.com, Kayaks were first built by the Inuit and the Aleuts, which were both indigenous peoples who lived in the Arctic. These boats were made from the scarce resources that could be found in the tundra. Often, kayaks were built with frames of light driftwood or whalebone. Tribe members would then stretch animal skins over the structures. Seal bladders filled with air would be tucked into the fore and aft sections.

Why are these important kayaking details to teach your kids? Because learning about the ingenuity of the kayak’s design is a good example of how something can be made from almost nothing. Furthermore, it shows children the value of conserving — every part of an animal was used for something. That’s a very important lesson to learn in today’s world, where environmental problems are becoming a big concern.

Mindfulness can be a big life lesson kids can learn when kayaking

The history of kayaking can serve as a powerful example of resourcefulness, but once the paddle hits the water, there are plenty of other lessons to learn. Kayaking can be great for teaching focus. When first starting off, children must learn how to stay balanced on the boat. They must also maintain good technique and form while navigating waters that can be turbulent.

Because kayaking can demand a lot of attention, this sport is a great opportunity to teach mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is a practice that has been shown to provide clinical benefits such as better concentration. In addition it boosts mental and physical health. In a nutshell, it is the act of giving intense focus to the present moment. We’d recommend trying it out!

Kayaking can help kids face fear

Kayaking sometimes puts riders in uncomfortable situations. Rivers, for example, can offer some pretty bumpy rides and are dangerous on occasion. Obviously, we don’t recommend overwhelming your children by throwing them into the rapids, but small challenges can provide opportunity for personal growth.

Possibly one of the most important kayaking lessons for kids is showing them how to face fear. Breathing exercises, identifying the source of worries and problem-solving are just some examples of coping techniques you can teach your kids. Psychology Today also has a thoughtful example regarding how kayaking through keeper holes, which are like whirlpools, can be a great metaphor for facing fear.

Put the kayaking lessons to the test!

Once you’ve gone over some of the lessons in this article, see if they stick when kayaking! When paddling through the water, try stopping every once in a while and ask your children if they are practising mindfulness. Are they paying attention to their surroundings or are they getting lost in too much thought? If they encounter obstacles like a tricky route in a river, ask them if fear is getting in the way. Then remind them of the coping techniques you taught them. Kayaking is a great way to spur personal growth!

We as parents are concerned about schooling in large part because we want our children to succeed in the work world. Many of us value education because it will help our kids become capable at providing for themselves. With this idea in mind, it’s invaluable to ask ourselves how much time our children should be spending in school versus how many hours they should spend on internships, work and volunteer experience.

School is invaluable for developing skills, but what use are students’ talents if they don’t know how to apply them? Internships, work and volunteer experience can help make what they learn in school relevant to the ‘real’ world. Each child will be different, but in this post we’ll try and dig up some valuable perspectives that can help you come to a decision about the merits of internships, work and volunteer experience.

Work experience helps develop entrepreneurial skills

The man who was one of the masterminds of 1-800-GOT-JUNK says schools often don’t do enough to teach children business skills. In a TEDx talk that has garnered more than 1.3 million views, Cameron Herold says children who often show potential as entrepreneurs are repressed rather than encouraged to use their gifts. He says one of the biggest problems in schools is teaching children to become employees, rather than teaching them how to come up with viable businesses.

And he says even business schools are guilty of this! Cameron says there’s nothing wrong with encouraging children to become employees, but when children receive little entrepreneurship training, many kids who show promise as business owners are having their potential wasted.

The solution? Work and volunteer experience can help alleviate that problem. He says it’s important for parents to encourage their children to start thinking entrepreneurially at a young age. His parents encouraged him to find ways to create jobs for himself rather than ask for them. His father taught him the basics of supply and demand when he was seven.

Cameron credits this type of parental mentoring for his success — he did poorly in school and was diagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But he says entrepreneurship helped him channel his creativity — which was not appreciated in a traditional school environment — into something positive.

If your children can start volunteering or interning

Work experience helps students land jobs in the future

And even if you’re not grooming your children to become one of the next Forbes 100 CEOs, work experience increases their chances of finding jobs, according to a National Post report.

Furthermore, the Government of Canada also agrees that working while still in school is a good idea for a slew of reasons, including developing professional networks, getting your foot in the door at a company, or gaining valuable experience from mentorship.

Volunteering helps build communities

Many schools are encouraging or requiring children to clock in some out-of-school volunteer time. According the New York Times, high school students who volunteered in high school are more likely to become active in civic or volunteer work later in their lives.

Regardless of whether students choose to volunteer or are forced to do so by schools, the effects seem to be positive, the article says. But that’s usually dependent on the job and whether the program allows students to learn about their work in the greater context of a larger issue. For example, students working in a soup kitchen may become more civic minded if they’re given the opportunity to serve the homeless and discuss their experiences afterwards. This may not be the case if their volunteer work in the shelter does not give them the chance to interact with people.

What we know about internships, work and volunteer experience

Generally speaking, it’s a good thing! But obviously, as with everything, balance is crucial. Education shouldn’t be neglected, seeing that schooling is related to higher earning and lower unemployment.

Working also teaches children how to overcome obstacles, which helps develop resilience.

But keep in mind, not all internships, jobs or volunteer experiences are equal. The benefits your child will get out of internships, work and volunteerism depend on whether those tasks encourage entrepreneurship, creative thought, problem solving and community consciousness.

Of course we’re not belittling menial labour, because those jobs have their benefits too.
In a nutshell, encourage your kids to get internships, work and volunteer experience. Try to find work that encourages the attributes we discussed above. But try to avoid overwhelming your children to the point their grades suffer.