Turning five marks the start of a new chapter for a lot of kids.
It’s the age when many children will start attending school or new hobbies.
This is an exciting time for both parents and the child but it comes with the introduction of a lot of new faces and places.
It goes without saying that hopefully, they will never need to rely on these safety measures, but it certainly pays for them to know all of their basic personal information, as well as what to do if they find themselves in a sticky situation.
According to a paediatrician at PureWow, these are the five most important safety tips you can equip your five-year-old with.
Getting lost
The first thing your little one should know is that when they get lost to never approach a stranger.
Instilling a sense of ‘stranger danger’ may feel like parents are scaring their child, but if you educate your child on identifying ‘safe’ strangers when they get lost, it will remove a lot of fear for you when you send them out into the world.
Advise them that they should be on the lookout for another parent who is with a child, a person in uniform, or wearing a name tag, such as a Garda, security guard, or shop assistant.
Answering the door
While it may excite a little five-year-old to hear the doorbell ring or hear a knock at the door, they shouldn’t open it without a parent or guardian present.
Prepare yourself for the possibility that may be questions as to why they can’t be the one to open the door now that they’re finally big enough to reach the handle.
To combat this, try to explain to them that this is for their own safety because if there’s a stranger on the other side, there’s no way to identify if it’s a ‘safe’ one or an unsafe one before answering.
Chores
As children age it comes with more responsibility and independence.
You may start to see them start asking to help out around the house, which is likely a welcomed gesture.
Chores are a fantastic way to help boost your child’s sense of pride and self-esteem, however, it’s crucial that they are aware of boundaries when it comes to completing chores so they don’t hurt themselves.
It should be made clear that they are not allowed to handle knives or put away items on tall shelves where they would have to climb to complete the task – ever – be that at home or anywhere else.
Let them know that some jobs are for adults and allocate roles that won’t put them in harm’s way.
Basic personal information
By school age, children should know the first and last names of their parents.
They should also be taught their address, as well as a phone number, whether it be their home phone number or a mobile number for parents.
Leaning this information can be made fun if it’s written into a melody that your child already knows, such as the alphabet or ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’.
Emergencies
The most important numbers you child can learn at this age are 999 and 112.
In this day and age, most kids will have a basic understanding of how to operate a smart device. If not, you should show them how to unlock a phone and dial the number if there is an emergency.
The same training applies if you use a landline in your home.
Teaching your five-year-old when to call these numbers is equally as essential to avoid calling the emergency services for the wrong reasons.
Use very specific examples when having the discussion around calling these numbers, such as, “If you’re at nana and she falls over and isn’t answering you when you speak to her, what should you do?”
Having them repeat back to you what the protocol is will better their chances of remembering it if there is an emergency.
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