Post by DeEtte on Sept 3, 2008 8:02:22 GMT -5
As summer draws to a close, parents need to spend some time
thinking about back-to-school safety issues. Bob Stuber is the founder of Escape School, a group
that aims to keep kids safe. He has some common-sense, no-nonsense suggestions for making the
school year a safe one and he shared some of them on The Early Show. Stuber founded the
Escape School in 1997. Escape School is an all-inclusive forum on child safety and he has trained
over 80 other individuals to serve as Escape School instructors throughout the U.S. and Canada. The forum deals with everything from abduction to water safety. In all situations, he promotes the reawakening of common sense.
Travel to/from School: There is no "right" age for kids to start walking or biking to school alone or with a friend. Each family needs to consider the maturity of their child, how many busy streets have to be crossed, if these streets have lights or crossing guards, etc. Here are Stuber's top safety suggestions for parents:
- Research Route to School: Parents and kids together need to map out what route to take to school and any alternate routes. In addition to feeling comfortable with the busy streets, etc., it's very important that parents know who lives along the child's path. Megan's Law requires that any person jailed for a sexual offense and then released be "registered" in the neighborhood where they live. This is public record and parents should utilize it by visiting the police station and researching the route to school.
- Encourage Responsibility: Yes, adults in cars should always be on the lookout for kids in the street, especially in a school zone but we all know this often doesn't happen. Kids should not expect cars to look out for them, they need to take responsibility and protect themselves. Don't allow your child to walk to school wearing headphones or playing a Gameboy because this will make the child oblivious to their surroundings.
- Watch Child Reach Safety: If you drive your child to school, don't take off the moment they step out of the car. Make sure they get inside or at least to the front lawn/sidewalk where they will be with other students and teachers. Don't feel pressure to pull away just because cars are piling up behind you - this is important. Many kids disappear between Mom's car and the school. Also, the congestion of many cars and buses can be dangerous.
- Advocate for Safety Changes: Parents often don't realize how much power they have to change things within a school. If you think your child's bus should have a crossing gate or your school needs a call-back system (the administration calls if your child does not arrive at school), then gather other parents together and complain. Don't wait for these changes to be instituted as the result of a tragedy. Stuber says administrations are very open to listening and responding to parents. They don't want to be blamed for an accident and they know that they're funded by the parents' tax dollars. Source: CBS - The Early Show
thinking about back-to-school safety issues. Bob Stuber is the founder of Escape School, a group
that aims to keep kids safe. He has some common-sense, no-nonsense suggestions for making the
school year a safe one and he shared some of them on The Early Show. Stuber founded the
Escape School in 1997. Escape School is an all-inclusive forum on child safety and he has trained
over 80 other individuals to serve as Escape School instructors throughout the U.S. and Canada. The forum deals with everything from abduction to water safety. In all situations, he promotes the reawakening of common sense.
Travel to/from School: There is no "right" age for kids to start walking or biking to school alone or with a friend. Each family needs to consider the maturity of their child, how many busy streets have to be crossed, if these streets have lights or crossing guards, etc. Here are Stuber's top safety suggestions for parents:
- Research Route to School: Parents and kids together need to map out what route to take to school and any alternate routes. In addition to feeling comfortable with the busy streets, etc., it's very important that parents know who lives along the child's path. Megan's Law requires that any person jailed for a sexual offense and then released be "registered" in the neighborhood where they live. This is public record and parents should utilize it by visiting the police station and researching the route to school.
- Encourage Responsibility: Yes, adults in cars should always be on the lookout for kids in the street, especially in a school zone but we all know this often doesn't happen. Kids should not expect cars to look out for them, they need to take responsibility and protect themselves. Don't allow your child to walk to school wearing headphones or playing a Gameboy because this will make the child oblivious to their surroundings.
- Watch Child Reach Safety: If you drive your child to school, don't take off the moment they step out of the car. Make sure they get inside or at least to the front lawn/sidewalk where they will be with other students and teachers. Don't feel pressure to pull away just because cars are piling up behind you - this is important. Many kids disappear between Mom's car and the school. Also, the congestion of many cars and buses can be dangerous.
- Advocate for Safety Changes: Parents often don't realize how much power they have to change things within a school. If you think your child's bus should have a crossing gate or your school needs a call-back system (the administration calls if your child does not arrive at school), then gather other parents together and complain. Don't wait for these changes to be instituted as the result of a tragedy. Stuber says administrations are very open to listening and responding to parents. They don't want to be blamed for an accident and they know that they're funded by the parents' tax dollars. Source: CBS - The Early Show