***Collaborative post***
As a parent, it’s important to understand some of the key dangers that your child can face. We’d like to believe that our kids are perfectly safe and totally free from home, but this isn’t always the case. That’s certainly true once they start gaining more independence and living their own life. Here are some of the dangers that you need to be aware of and the steps that you can take to guarantee that your child is protected.
Physical Harm
First, you need to make sure that your child is safe from the threat of physical harm. Your child can be put in harm’s way when they are walking home from school or when they are out with their friends. They might even be being bullied which we will discuss more a little further down. If you are worried about the danger here, then you need to make sure that you are teaching your child how to defend themselves. You can do this by looking at martial arts classes for kids. This is a great way to guarantee that they do learn self defense.
Online Activity
Be aware that not all the dangers that your child could face are physical. It’s equally possible that your child will face dangers online. The greatest threat here is going to be your child speaking to someone that they don’t know. This is quite common these days in the world of online gaming such as Fortnite and Among Us. Both of these are highly popular with children under the age of 15. You can keep your child safe by ensuring that they understand how to protect themselves. For instance, you should alert them that they should never give personal details out to someone they don’t know online.
Bullying
As mentioned, bullying can lead to significant danger for children. Some parents see bullying as a way to help their child develop a thicker skin. While this can be a benefit, bullying can also get serious very quickly. You need to make sure that you are on top of the situation and you should be aware of everything that is happening to your child in real time. This could include activity online and in person. You should also not be afraid to get the school involved if things start to get out of control.
Self Harm
Finally, it’s important for you to understand as a parent that self harm is far more common than most people realize. Some reports suggest that as many as 70% of teens will self harm before they reach the age of eighteen. That number might scare you and perhaps it should. Since we’re on the subject of self harm it’s also important to note that this isn’t always about gaining attention. This form of harm can be addictive, similar to drinking or even drugs. As such, your child might need the support of a therapist to recover.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you can take to ensure that your child is safe from some of the common dangers that they could face in the world today.
