COMMUTING AND TRAVEL SAFETY TIPS

Sending Students Back to School Safely

Commuting and Travel Safety Tips for Parents and Students Written by Katie Lawson, Staff Writer, Redcross.org

As summer vacations come to an end, students across the country are readying themselves for the start of a new school year. With all of the excitement this time brings, safety may not be the first subject that springs to mind. The American Red Cross encourages parents to take time to talk with their children about safety before school starts.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 24 million students nationwide start their school day with a trip on the school bus. Although NHTSA reports that riding on a school bus is nearly eight times safer than riding in a passenger vehicle, an average of 11 school-aged pedestrians are killed by school transportation vehicles each year. Whether they walk, ride the bus or travel by car, teach your kids these few tips to ensure they get to and from school safely.

Tips for School Bus Riders

Line up facing the bus, not along side it. Do not play in the street while waiting for the bus. Carry all loose belongings in a bag or backpack. Never reach under the school bus to get anything that has rolled or fallen beneath it. The bus driver may be sitting too high up to see you. After getting off the bus, move immediately onto the sidewalk and out of traffic. If there is no sidewalk, try to stay as far to the side of the road as possible. Wait for a signal from the bus driver before crossing the street. Walk at least 10 steps away from the front of the bus so the driver can see you. Never cross the street or play behind the school bus.

Tips for Pedestrians or Bike Riders

Never walk alone—always travel with a buddy. Pay attention to all traffic signals and crossing guards along the way. Never cross the street against a stop light. Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. Avoid ill-fitting clothing that could get caught in spokes or pedals or restrict movements, and wear reflective colors and material to be more visible to street traffic. Walk your bicycle across all intersections. Tips for Car Drivers and Passengers

Everyone in the car should wear a seatbelt, as they lower the risk of injury in the event of a crash by 45 percent. Make sure babies and young children are in safety seats at all times, and that safety seats have been properly installed. Read your car's manual for safety precautions specifically relate to the car and its airbags. Remind teenagers to take extra precautions if they are driving to school or riding with another teenage driver.

Tips for College-Bound Students

Students heading off to college—perhaps for the first time this year—may be inexperienced at driving long distances or driving alone. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, according to NHTSA. The risk of crashes is higher among 16- to 20-year-olds than among any other age group, and, unfortunately, young adults also are less likely to be buckled up than any other age group. When preparing college-aged children for a long drive to school, make sure they take these precautions:

Preparing for the Trip

Before packing the car, do a simple safety check. Turn on the lights and walk around the vehicle to ensure that all lights are in working order. Also check turn signals and look for any fluid leaks or things hanging from the vehicle. Make sure the tires are properly inflated.

When packing your belongings in the car, make sure you pack carefully so there is nothing blocking your view through the rear window. Check your mirrors before you leave to be sure you have an unobstructed view of the road.

Prepare an emergency supplies kit for your vehicle and keep it in your car at all times. Include a first aid kit and manual as well as items such as a blanket, flares, a flashlight and batteries, jumper cables that can be helpful and may even be lifesaving in the event of an emergency.

No matter how far your trip is, be sure you are well rested before you hit the road.

Hitting the Road

Leave early and give yourself enough time to travel at a comfortable pace. Remember, speeding does not increase your ability to arrive on time; it only increases your chances of not arriving at all.

Should you find yourself getting tired from the drive, pull over to a rest stop or gas station to walk around and refresh yourself.

Do not talk on your cell phone while driving. Phones are distracting and impair your ability to concentrate on the road. If you must use the phone, pull over to a safe, well-lit parking lot and place your call there or at least use a hands-free earpiece.

When driving in inclement weather such as rain storms, reduce your speed. Don't make sudden moves if the roads are wet. Applying the brakes slowly and steadily will help you keep better control of your vehicle.

And, remember to always wear your safety belt and require any passengers who ride with you to do the same.

For more information about preparing for emergencies or for facts and tips about safety, visit RedCross.org.

American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization—not a government agency —and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

How to Defeat the Bully

Your child is forced to deal with various attacks on his self-esteem on a regular basis. Whether these attacks affect him long term or not has to do with many different factors.

One type of attack that we want to address in this report is the common “Bully.” Bullying has always been a part of growing up, but how a child deals with it and the repercussions of dealing with it have changed dramatically. There are “Zero Tolerance” rules that punish both children if there is an altercation, (which may have been caused by one child bullying the other.) So the old “If they hit you hit ‘em back!” doesn’t fly today. So what is your child to do?

First off all we must recognize that incidences of bullying vary in severity. One thing that is certain is that repeated attacks whether verbal, physical, or written (yes written, there have been reports of children being bullied through email!) erode your child’s fragile self-esteem. The CDC linked bullying to isolation, drug use, violence, and suicide! But your child does not have to be a victim!

The assault can be verbal of physical, either way the first line of defense remains the same.

What is the first line of defense? Self-Confidence! Here’s why. Bullies choose their victims much like a criminal would choose their victim; they go for the easy and obvious target. So if your child looks like a kid who will get bullied, guess what, they’re going to get bullied. On the other hand if your child radiates self-confidence they are less likely to be a victim, it’s almost that simple!

Your child needs to walk with their head up; their shoulders square, and make eye contact with people. Just doing so, even if your child needs work on their self-esteem, will keep bullies away from them. This is easier said than done, but it can be learned. So having them change their body language (what they are saying non-verbally) will have a huge impact. Teaching this can serve as a quick fix, however, going to work on their self-confidence will have a greater long-term affect on keeping bullies away.

Children get their first layer of self-confidence from parents. The love you show your child and the time you spend with them gives them their feelings of self-worth. In fact it has been said that the number one role of parenting is develop a self-confident individual.

Teach them how to speak up clearly when they first meet someone. Teach them the importance of making eye-contact when they talk to you. Get them out of their comfort zone and have them explore new things. The more you have them confront fear and discomfort the more confident they will become. I get feed back from parents all the time about how great our martial-arts program is for developing self-confidence.

Many parents tell me how we reinforce many of the values they are teaching at home. What we’re teaching has more of an impact because it’s coming from another source. Many parents also compliment our martial-arts program for teaching their kids about other values that add to their self-confidence. I guess kids learn by doing, and when they begin to accomplish goals that they didn’t believe they could their self-confidence gets a boost, which then affects every area of life making them less of a target for bullies.

The next layer of defense is to create a boundary. I teach children how to protect their space with an assertive body posture. Feet apart, one foot in front, shoulders at a tilt to one side, chin down a little, eye contact, and most importantly, hands up as if making a Stop Gesture! We call this our self-defense stance (boxer’s stance). Its purpose: to communicate neutrality, awareness and, assertiveness. This stance is designed to get them out of trouble.

Finally, your child will have to use their words. Simple phrases and commands said in an assertive voice will tell the bully that they will not be a victim. Simple commands like; Stop, Back Off, Back Away! Said in the right tone will stop the bully in his tracks! This is useful because the days of school yard fighting are over. It is valuable for your child to know how to defend themselves if the situation arises, but just the feeling of being competent in self-defense is an obstacle to a potential bully.

As you can see dealing with a bully has its challenges, there is no one way that works every time. However, when your child develops high levels of self-esteem, and self-confidence a bully’s words or action will role off them like water of a duck’s back. I would love to help your child develop greater levels of self-confidence just like I’ve helped so many local kids over the years. Give me a call at 618-222-2888 and I’ll show in so many ways how martial-arts is the best program you can get your child involved in.

Thanks for Reading! Your Friend, Rocky D. Fountain Eagle & Dragon Martial Arts Academy

Provide encouragement.

All children start life eager to learn, but if adults are critical, that eagerness may disappear by the elementary grades. Look for achievements to praise and acknowledge your child's progress whenever possible. source: pbs-parents-child development

Don't rush activities.

Whether at home or in preschool, children need extended periods of time to really get involved in activities and to experience the "engagement" that is such an important foundation for learning.

Nurture creativity.

Encourage children to ask questions, try different ways of using materials, or offer them a wide range of new experiences.

Help them finish what they start.

Children experience great satisfaction when they try and finish new things. Give them a bit of support when they need it, but be careful not to take over completely.

Let them choose.

Give kids a chance to make simple choices, such as what to wear or what to eat for a snack.