Safety in Crowds

Mary Nahorniak

BRINGING YOUR KIDS TO EXCITING EVENTS OR NEW PLACES CREATES MEMORIES AND FAMILY FUN, YET CROWDS CAN BE OVERWHELMING FOR ANYONE, LET ALONE PARENTS TRYING TO KEEP EYES ON THEIR CHILDREN. Kids love to explore once something has caught their attention, especially without letting their parents know they are going to wander. It only takes a second for a child to separate from the group — causing panic in both children and adults. Even though busy places may make parents anxious, it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying new adventures as a family. The following tips will help your children stay safe and give you peace of mind.

• Teach older children about safety in crowds. Once you arrive to the event/place, point out recognizable landmarks, such as an information desk, large statue, etc., to use as a meet up spot if you were to be separated. Come up with a plan about reaching the designated spot in the event of separation.

• Bring a stroller or wagon for younger children. If you have young kids, keep them physically near you by containing their busy bodies in a stroller or wagon. If they ask to get out, make sure they know they must hold your hand until they get back in.

• Make sure your kids have your phone number. With young children, you can put your name and contact information on a piece of paper in their pocket and let them know when they might need to use it. There are also safety items, like bracelets and temporary tat- toos, available for sale to be used for identification purposes. With older children, practice reciting your phone number with them prior to the outing until they have it memorized.

• Dress to impress. Plan outfits for your kids that are easily visible and stand out in crowds. For a day time outing, pick bright colors or even matching colors/outfits. For night time, consider clothing articles that light up or buy glow-in-the-dark bracelets to easily spot your child.

• Take a photo before heading out. In the unlikely event your kids get separated, taking their picture will allow you to have the most recent photo of what they look like that day to show employees and police. In times of stress your own memory may get fuzzy, so this will even help you remember key identifiers on your child that day.

• Identify safe people at the event. Point out where employees may be stationed (ticket booth, restaurants, etc.) and show them what their uniform looks like in case they need to ask someone for help.

• Be mindful but relaxed. Being constantly worried about crowds will make the outing less fun for you and the whole family. The best thing you can do is always be prepared in crowds and remember these safety tips!

Screen Free Summer

Is a screen-free summer possible? Andy Crouch, author of The Tech-Wise Family, offers some tips for reducing the amount of time kids spend with their devices this summer:

• Create a low-technology living space, whether at home or in a vacation dwelling: Fill it with things that reward creativity, skill, and active engagement: board games, books, journals, Legos and other building toys, art supplies, musical instruments, sports equipment and pool or beach toys. Push technology and cheap thrills to the edge.

• Protect the rhythms of life: If an entirely screen-free summer seems daunting, commit to regular tech-free times: one hour each day, one day each week.

• Put devices to bed before you go, and don’t reach for them first thing in the morning. Your children—and you—will have a much more restorative night’s sleep.

• Sing. Crouch is a big advocate of learning to sing well—not in the sense of singing in perfect tune or like a professional, but in the sense of bringing heart, mind, soul, and strength to our singing. Get some songbooks or print out lyrics for family sing-a-longs.

• Spend time outside, in nature, without phones or cameras to hand. If you need a picture, sketch it rather than shoot it.

• Allow time for boredom. Don’t attempt to keep your kids entertained every second. The fact is, the more you entertain children, the more bored they will get! Allow them time to use their imagination and creativity to explore the world around them, instead of filling all their times with screenmediated entertainment.

Crouch, a senior strategist at the John Templeton Foundation,

$500 wrote about his philosophy on technology and kids in his book, The Tech-WiseFamily:EverydayStepsforPuttingTechnologyinItsProper Place.

Get Cuddly

Fourth of July is very clearly the big winner in July in terms of holidays, but you won’t want to overlook another special occasion – Teddy Bear Picnic Day. The holiday occurs on July 10 and it’s the perfect time to pack up a basket and your child’s favorite stuffies, and head to the park for a little lunch al fresco.

According to a recent survey between $500-$700 is the average kid’s birthday party budget for parents. When you factor in food, goodie bags, activities and decorations, this sounds about right to us. And considering the same survey found that there were approximately 84.3 million kids’ parties in 2021 alone, that’s a whole lot of dough going toward the birthday industry.