Common Kid Concerns

First Installment

Every individual child (and adult, come to that) has special fears and worries of his own. However, there are some anxieties that are so widespread among children that your child is very likely to suffer from at least some of them.

Worry About Injury
Awareness of self, as a whole separate person inside a body which belongs to him, may make your child very anxious about getting hurt. Blood is often the focus of terror. Three to five-year olds go through more Band-Aids than any other age group, not because they hurt themselves more often but because they cannot get on with their lives until that dreaded bead of blood is safely hidden. But pain is a focus too. A routine injection, which would have evoked nothing but a brief cry a year ago, may be dreaded, hated and remembered with horror. It may take all your tactful skill to get a splinter out of that finger. It is important to be patient, loving, and reassuring, not critical. Remember: the fear may be very real to your child.

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Summer Safety

With the arrival of warm weather moving activities outside, knowledge of a few safety rules is critical. These summer safety tips from the Red Cross

and kidsource.com will help ensure a fun and safe summer for everyone.

Water Safety

• Learn to swim . The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim--this includes adults and children.
• Maintain constant supervision. Watch children around any water environment (pool, stream, lake, tub, toilet, bucket of water), no matter what skills your child has acquired and no matter how shallow the water.
• Always keep basic lifesaving equipment by the pool and know how to use it . Pole, rope, and personal flotation devices are recommended.

Heat Safety

• Cars get hot. Young children die every year from being left in a car in the hot sun. Even if you think you'll only be a second, take your child with you. And don't leave the car running with the air conditioning on, as it makes it an easy target for a car theft with your child in it!
• Keep hydrated. Give yourself and your children plenty of fluids, especially water.

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