Summer Safety Worries of Toddler Parents

Summer is incredible with sunshine, warm breezes, long days, gardens and water fun.  Sammy’s Milk loves the idea of healthy nutrition that makes summer awesome for your little tyke. But, having been parents with toddlers too, we know your child’s safety is the biggest summer worry for many parents of toddlers.  The CDC and The AAP offer summer safety tips for your family. 

Sun Safety

Kids love sunshine, but the sun can be brutal to their fresh skin.  Babies under 6 months older should not be in direct sunlight.  Once they are a little older, the first step to protecting your little one from sun danger is to dress them in layers.   Make sure they wear a sun hat, sunglasses,  and keep their arms covered in lightweight layers.  Kids also need sunscreen and parents need to be vigilant about slathering it on them, even as munchkins fight it off.  The CDC notes that sunscreen isn‘t meant to be an all-protective force field.  Combining shade, protective clothing and glasses and sunscreen is the best approach to protecting your child from skin cancer.

Water Safety

This has always been a scary topic to me.  It takes so little water to create danger, but with the right supervision, summer water fun is the best.   The right water safety supervision, per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)  translates to touch supervision.  You need to stay within touch at all times.  If you have to get out, so does your child.  

Barriers between your child and any water.

1. If you have a home pool, make sure there is a barrier to it, like a fence that will keep out toddlers. So even with the lifeguards on duty, make sure your toddler baby is supervised the entire time. 
2. Lock doors.  Prevent your toddler from going outside without you knowing.  Make sure all siblings know to ALWAYS close the door so younger children don’t follow them out.
3. Remove other water hazards in your yard.  That birdbath is cute, but either block it off or remove it until your children are older.
4. Fence the yard if you have a drainage ditch.  It only takes a moment and that toddler has zipped off to explore.  Fenced in yards, front, side and back can keep your little speedy DeeDee  out of trouble.
5. Empty water containers immediately after you use them.  This includes wading pools, coolers with melted ice, pet water bowls any container that collects rainwater. 

Summer Safety

We all learn through experience.  Your child tastes and tries everything.  It’s natural, but you know its also dangerous.  How can you protect your child while allowing your child to learn and grow?  Natural consequences of choices are easier to allow in later years.  For now, move the toxic stuff out of their reach and try to let them experience, even if it means tears sometimes.

But while we discuss life safety, we should mention car safety.  Car crashes are more dangerous for a child than an adult.  Even at low speeds the forces from a sudden stop or crash can cause severe injuries.  Follow the instructions for car seats carefully.  Even more important is summer months, NEVER leave your child alone in or around the car.  Always check the car seat, even when you know you don’t have any child in the vehicle, to create a routine habit.