The Ultimate Memorial Day Safety Guide for Children

The Ultimate Memorial Day Safety Guide for Children

Memorial Day is the time of year when we honor and remember the sacrifices of fallen soldiers who have died fighting for the country we hold so dear.  Kids are unfamiliar with the true meaning of this special holiday because it’s just another day for them to spend quality time with family and friends.  For most kids around the country, this day of the year signifies the unofficial start to summer.

When growing up as a child, do you remember which season of the year you were injured the most?  My best guess would be the summer.  According to “Pediatrics,” the American Academy of Pediatrics journal, Memorial Day is the holiday ranking second on the child injuries list, with Labor Day taking first place.  In this article we will discuss all of the dangers associated with the summer months, and provide you tips on how to avoid them.  Hopefully you can start taking immediate precautions starting this Memorial Day and have an injury free holiday.

Have the “coolest” baby on the block with these 5 simple sun safety tips:

Depending which part of the country you live in, May can be an exceptionally hot month.  Every father and mother knows that a hot baby is a cranky baby.  Not only will you keep your baby cool and safe, but you’ll also relieve yourself from stress by having a quiet and comfortable baby.

1.       Carry around a compact, portable, battery operated fan.
2.       A large hat that is wide brimmed
3.       Apply sunscreen – preferably something non-chemical and safe for babies under 6 months of age
4.       Placing a baby under a sun tent, canopy, or umbrella will keep your baby out of the sun’s harmful rays
5.       Dress your baby in a UV protected sun suit, or a light weight long-sleeved shirt.

Now that we’ve had our fun in the sun, let’s cool off and jump into the pool

According to SafeKids.Org, in 2008, 745 children ages 14 and under died from unintentional drowning.  Eighty-four percent of drowning deaths among children ages 5 and under occur at a home, while 45 percent of fatalities among children ages 5 to 14 occur at a public pool.  This is a staggering amount considering all the information available to us.

Here are some tips and information you can use to have the safest pool party ever:

• Make sure there is a dedicated adult to supervise your children around the pool at all times.  Having a phone nearby is good idea in the event of an emergency.
• Having a fence installed with a self closing latch will prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised.
• Never swim in a pool that has a broken, loose or missing drain cover.
• It’s always good to have someone in the family who knows CPR in the event of an emergency.
• Advise your children early on to never go near or in water without an adult present.

Now if your kids are going to playing in the sun all day, it’s essential to keep them hydrated.  Children can easily become dehydrated while playing or participating in any sort of physical activity.  Dehydration makes a child more vulnerable to a heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion, or a heat stroke.  

Here’s what to look for if you think your child is showing signs of dehydration:

• Dry or sticky mouth
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Thirst

Here are 4 Tips You Can Use to Prevent Your Child from Dehydrating:

1.       Children under 90 pounds should drink 5 ounces of water every 20 minutes during any activity.
2.       Drink 12 ounces of fluid 30 minutes before any physical activity.
3.       Don’t wait for your child to let you know he/she is thirsty; make time for set drink breaks.
4.       After a physical activity, children should drink fluids to make up for fluid loss during the physical activity.

There’s a lot to look forward to in the summer months. The most important: fun with the family.  Make your summer a safe and enjoyable one to remember!

This guest post was written by Kevin Raposo, a blogger for SimpliSafe.  Kevin covers issues related to home security, crime, safety, and consumer issues.  Kevin is a dedicated writer and musician, spreading the word through music and blogging.  SimpliSafe is a leader in the wireless home security field.

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Memorial Day

I just want to remind everyone what this holiday weekend means. Please remember the fallen.

Dirge for Two Veterans Walt Whitman (from Leaves of Grass, first published in the 1867 edition)          1    The last sunbeam Lightly falls from the finish’d Sabbath, On the pavement here—and there beyond, it is looking,    Down a new-made double grave.          2    Lo! the moon ascending! Up from the east, the silvery round moon; Beautiful over the house tops, ghastly phantom moon;    Immense and silent moon.          3    I see a sad procession, And I hear the sound of coming full-key’d bugles; All the channels of the city streets they’re flooding,    As with voices and with tears.          4    I hear the great drums pounding, And the small drums steady whirring; And every blow of the great convulsive drums,    Strikes me through and through.          5    For the son is brought with the father; In the foremost ranks of the fierce assault they fell; Two veterans, son and father, dropt together,    And the double grave awaits them.          6    Now nearer blow the bugles, And the drums strike more convulsive; And the day-light o’er the pavement quite has faded,    And the strong dead-march enwraps me.          7    In the eastern sky up-buoying, The sorrowful vast phantom moves illumin’d; (’Tis some mother’s large, transparent face,    In heaven brighter growing.)          8    O strong dead-march, you please me! O moon immense, with your silvery face you soothe me! O my soldiers twain! O my veterans, passing to burial!    What I have I also give you.          9    The moon gives you light, And the bugles and the drums give you music; And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans,    My heart gives you love.
In Flanders Fields John McCrae (1915) In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

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