Carnivals, Parades, State Fairs. . . Summer is a time of celebrating. Unfortunately, all of these fun events mean crowds, and crowds and preschoolers don’t mix. When your child is to old to enjoy a festival from the safety of your baby carrier, but isn’t old enough to join the big kids on her own, its time for some basic crowd safety rules.
Rule #1
“If you can’t see me, I can’t see you.” Give the power to your preschooler. Your child wont understand if you tell her, “I can’t see you,” because to her, you are an all knowing, omnipotent being. Instead, teach your child to have her eyes on you, and make it clear that if she can’t see you, then you can’t keep her safe.
Rule #2
Stranger Danger Rule of Three. When my daughter was 3, we went to Disney Land. I caught her talking to a stranger in the lobby. I told her she should never talk to strangers and she said, "He's not a stranger. I saw him yesterday." OH NO! That's when I created the Stranger Rule of 3: You need to know some one's name, their mommy and where they live. If you know all 3 of those things, chances are they are close friends and they can be trusted. If you know none of those things, they are strangers and you shouldn't talk to them, follow them or be alone with them. If you know 2 of those things, you can talk to them, with permission from a parent or the adult in charge.
Rule #3
Stranger Danger is all well and good, but you may want to consider teaching your children about "Tricky People." Pattie Fitzgerald, creator of "Safely Ever After," teaches that tricky people do things like ask children to keep secrets from their parents. No child should EVER keep a secret from his parents. Ms. Fitzgerald goes on to point out that not all strangers are dangerous. If your child gets separated from you, they should go to a safe person like a mom with kids. That is the kind of person who will help a lost child.
Rule #4
Give your child a way to contact you. If your child does get lost, she will need some basic information to be reunited with you, like the first and last name of the adult she is with. Having a contact phone number is even better. These bracelet with your cell phone number on it
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or these home tattoos
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can come in handy. If all else fails, writing your number with a pen or sharpie on the inside of her arm.
Rule #5
Easy to find clothes. You can custom order easy to spot family t-shirts like these:
Or make your own with iron on paper and a pack of Hanes undershirts. You can also tie die matching shirts, or just pick a bright color to dress your children in. Be sure to take a full body picture of each child before you start your day. This will help you to 1. Remember your fantastic day at the carnival and 2. Make it easy to identify your child in case of an emergency.
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Carnivals and Fairs are family events and are meant to be enjoyed. Don't let this safety advice deter you from having fun. But following these simple steps will keep you and your children safer and happier.
Keep Jammin!
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