Summer Safety

by Rhonda DeYoung and Candy Arrington

Here are tips on keeping your baby or toddler safe around water and around fireworks this 4th of July.

Water Awareness

One afternoon, I took my children to a park that had a duck pond. While we took turns feeding the ducks, my 2-year-old son chased a mallard up to the water's edge. I had to scramble to grab my son before splashdown.

For a quick lesson in physics for preschoolers, I picked up a duck feather and let him hold it. Then I took his sand bucket and filled it with water from our cooler. I asked him to put the feather on the water to demonstrate that it floats.

I said, "Float." Then I handed him a rock and told him to put it on the water's surface. It sank quickly to the bottom.

I said, "Sink." I explained that this big water was for the ducks because they could float like the feather. Then I said that this pond water was not for us to splash and play and swim in because we would sink like the rock.

I pointed to the pond and asked, "Who swims in there?" My son answered, "Ducks swim in the water." Then I asked him if we go in this water that God made for the ducks; he firmly said, "No." Enough said. He stayed back from the edge, and I could watch him without needing to hover.

— Rhonda DeYoung

Note: Consider explaining that ducks have special clothes — feathers — for swimming. We need special swimwear to be safe, too. And it's only OK to play in the water when Mom or Dad says it's OK and when an adult is watching.

Loud Noises

The crowd cheered, and Ginger shrieked and covered her ears as the brilliant display of color exploded in the nighttime sky. While it's normal for young children to be fearful of loud noises, such as fireworks explosions, sometimes parents reinforce the fear by shielding their child from the sound. Help your child feel safe by counting aloud between explosions and clapping when the booms begin. If your child seems overly sensitive to loud noises, schedule a hearing screening.

— Candy Arrington