The holiday season is upon us, and nobody gets as excited about the festivities as the kids. In the midst of all the fun, you want to ensure that your little ones are protected. From the numerous parties to the activities at the mall and the culmination at Christmas, enough emphasis on holiday safety tips cannot be made.
With the rush of shopping and decorating, it is quite easy to overlook the children in the frenzy. Before anything else, we need to take note that a lot of injuries, falls, cuts and children kidnapping takes place over the holidays. Need I remind you the movie Home Alone?
There are various ways that the kids can get hurt over the holidays, and we are going to explore but a couple of ways to be safe. With hands-on tips, the only thing you will have to worry about this holidays is whether you’re Christmas decorations are sufficient or not.
What is Christmas without the conventional tree, the mistletoe, the decorations and the bubble glass? Herein, however, lies so much risk that to fully be safe, you would need to practice extra caution when decorating.
On a study done by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 1700 injuries reported in over 100 hospitals were Christmas related. Of the 1700, 500 were related to decorations, falling while decorating, electrical failure, choking and fire.
In case of a home fire, measures like using a fire extinguisher can stop its spread. Raise the alarm- scream out loud if need be. If the fire is not contained, evacuate the house using the nearest possible exit- and resist the urge to go back for your valuables. Drop to the ground where there is a cleaner air and roll on the ground to safety. After crawling out of a room, close the door behind you as it will slow down the spread of the fire.
If your clothes catch fire- stop, drop and roll. Don’t run as you will increase the risk of inhaling carbon monoxide. Should you be notified that there is a fire and you are absent, call 911 and seek immediate evacuation of whoever may be in the house.
Holidays for many of us are synonymous with food. Our moms and grandmothers take exceptional care, spending hours over the stove and cooking turkeys to perfection. The whole cooking process, right from defrosting to leftovers, is a process synonymous with all kinds of fertile ground for bacteria growth.
The holiday season falls in the winter, which makes it a time to be extremely cautious especially if you are using the roads. Safety when driving during the holidays is important, here are some tips:
<>Check the weather before you leave the house. Instances of black ice on the road should be noted. It is recommended that you get winter wheels for your car ahead of the holidays.
With homes filled by guests and a lot of parties, children tend to spend most of their time in the entertainment room because of the fact that they are largely forgotten during the festivities.
A couple of tips to have you winning during this “Oops! I forgot to check my child” season:
If you would like to have access to a complete Christmas Safety Guide please take a look to this resource: KidGuard Parent’s Holiday Guide 2018
Family get-togethers are the highlight of Thanksgiving. While the days of riding in horse driven carriages “over the river and through the woods” belong to the last century, travel is still an issue. We pile into our cars, go the distance, and arrive at Grandma’s to enjoy roast turkey with all the trimmings. We have much to be grateful for and devoting a day to give thanks is a treasured American tradition.
Part of the celebration often includes having a few drinks, whether cocktails, glasses of wine, dessert liquors or a few beers during the Thanksgiving football games. Although it’s great to celebrate the occasion, it’s also smart to put some safety guidelines in place so you don’t end up drinking and driving. You should either designate a driver who abstained from alcohol or spend the night and leave the next day.
Drinking and driving isn’t the only safety factor to consider with holiday driving. The American Safety Council recommends the following safety tips for holiday travel:
Allow extra driving time. Invariably, you encounter more traffic than usual during holiday travel. Consider leaving a day early or least several hours earlier than the normal drive requires, so you don’t stress about being late. For long distance travel, make sure your vehicle is travel worthy before heading out on the road.
Alternate travel days. Whenever possible, leave a day ahead and avoid holiday traffic. Also, add an extra day to avoid traffic when returning home. In addition to traveling during less traffic congestion, it will give you extra time to be well rested. Use a GPS for alternate traffic routes when traffic information indicates a better way to go.
Check weather reports. When meteorologists forecast hazardous weather conditions, make the necessary travel delays to avoid getting caught in treacherous road conditions.
Avoid distracted driving. Give cell phones and texting a break while driving to your destination. Holiday traffic and distractions are a dangerous combination.
Be safe.
Enjoy the Holidays and Drive Safely