Child Safety Articles
Body Boosters
When you’re juggling schoolwork, friends, family life and sport, it’s easy to forget your health.
But your health – your good health – is one of the most important factors in your life, and it’s probably your most important asset. Put simply, if you don’t have a healthy body and a healthy mind it’s harder to tackle everything else in your life!
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Drug Awareness
For young people and their parents to help each other understand the problems posed by drugs in today’s social environment, it’s important everyone feels they can all discuss drugs without fear or embarrassment.
Your parents may be worried about starting a conversation about drugs – they don’t want to give you too much information and perhaps make you curious enough to try a particular drug, or they may be worried that their questions – even if they don’t suspect anything – may ruin the relationship they have with you.
Some young people don’t like to bring up the topic of drugs, because they feel that the reasons for their questions – whether due to curiosity, or perhaps concern about a group at school – may be misunderstood.
However, research shows that the majority of young people want to talk to an adult they trust about drugs. If you feel you can do that, it’s a good place to start in your attempts to find answers to your questions or concerns
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Home Base
If it hasn’t happened already, it’s likely to soon – that moment when for the first time you’re the oldest person at home, and therefore the ‘senior’ person responsible for the safety of everyone at home.
If your parents allow you time alone at home, or ask you to care for younger siblings, it’s a clear indication of their trust in you – but that doesn’t mean you’re always ready to take on that load.
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Just In Case
What would you do if a fire broke out in your house and your parents weren’t home? What would you do if your little brother or sister fell off the swing in your back yard and hit their head?
Having plans in place for an emergency is a good idea….just in case. By being prepared you can help reduce damage to people and property – and perhaps even save a life.
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Out and About
The Australian way of life often includes a lot of time outdoors – whether it be kicking the footy in the local park, mucking around in the back yard, walking through the bush, or playing organised sport. It’s great to get out and about in the fresh air – and to stay fit and healthy.
But it’s also important to try and reduce the risk posed by ‘the great outdoors’ as much as possible.
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Personal Space
There’s a lot that’s fun about growing up – greater freedom and the power that comes with that. But with power comes responsibility. In your case, that translates to you having to take more care for yourself in a greater number and range of situations.
It’s not all bad, though – because it also means recognising when you can’t do it all yourself and that there are a lot of people around you who will help you, if and when you ask.
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Public Property
If you are old enough and mature enough to go on outings without adult supervision, you should also be responsible enough to display common sense – whether alone or in a group.
By this stage, it’s understood that you have contact numbers with you in case of emergency, and most likely a mobile phone. But even if you are very responsible and can be trusted to behave, accidents or other unforeseen events can occur.
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Street Smarts
A glance at the road toll indicates that Australian streets aren’t as safe as they should be – for drivers and passengers in vehicles, for cyclists and for pedestrians.
The most important things you can do are to act sensibly, walk or ride where you’re supposed to (and don’t where you’re not supposed to), wear a seatbelt whenever you’re in a car, and don’t drink and drive, or enter a car in which the driver has been drinking alcohol or has taken drugs.
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The Big Chat
While the rest of this book is directed at you, here are some suggestions written for parents who want to discuss drugs with you. Don’t forget, though – they may have a reason for the discussion that has nothing to do with you or any suspicions about your behaviour. On the other hand, if you want to bring up the topic yourself, it may be a good idea to get your parents to read this section first!
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