Safety Rules! By Group I, Tyese Marshall, Emily Sexton, Sarah Carroll, Lauren Allen, Shamika Momport

Let’s Talk Safety… So have your parents, nana/grandmother, or some trusted adult ever told you to stay away from hot stoves? Why do you think these adults said this to you? Has a teacher ever told you to use walking feet when you were running? Why do you think your teacher said this to you?

Why do I keep hearing the word safety? What does “safety” or “safe” mean? Safety means safe from danger, which means protection from harm, loss or damage. You are protected You are secure Our parents, teachers and community helpers such as trusted adults like doctors, crossing guards and firemen make us feel safe and secure.

Does safety apply to everything we do? There are many kinds of safety rules you will talk about at school and at home. Here are just a few: Pedestrian--How we cross the street, Pet-- We must be careful in how we approach strange animals; Fire- - Call 911! Bicycle - - We must wear a helmet, Water - - Rules for the swimming pool; and Strangers - - People we don’t know!

Let’s talk about strangers! Never talk to strangers… We may be in “danger” if we talk to strangers, (someone we don’t know). “Danger” means something or someone may hurt, harm or injure you; You are “unsafe”—when you’re unsafe, you may feel sad, confused, scared, afraid or uneasy Strangers can look like anybody- thy can be nice and even pretty- they don’t have to look like monsters, (like we see in picture books or on TV).

What can we do to keep ourselves safe? To keep ourselves safe, we must make good “decisions” (which means choices) and follow our safety rules which adults will always tell us; however, it is our choice to follow them. Remember: The rules are different when I am with an adult who is taking care of me and when I am on my own. When I am on my own, my job is to check first with the adult in charge before I let a stranger get close to me, talk to me, or give me anything. Here are some safety rules to remember: I do not give personal information to a stranger or to someone who makes me feel uncomfortable. It is OK to get help from trusted adults in the case of an emergency If a stranger tries to talk, touch or grab me: Say NO! Run, yell and tell a trusted adult.

Sources: http://www.wordsmth.net http://www.kidpower.org http://www.safekids.org http://www.napc.org