Can you believe that it is almost time for school to start again? As you are preparing to send your children back to school, here are some helpful tips to remind your children of as they start a new school year.
Walking to school
-Review your family’s walking safety rules.
-Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available. When on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing the traffic.
-Before you cross the street, stop and look all ways to see if cars are coming.
-Never dart out in front of a parked car.
-Practice walking to school with your child.
Riding a bicycle to school
-Make sure your child always wears his helmet when leaving the house.
-Teach your children the rules of the road they need to know to ride their bicycles.
-Ride on the right side of the road and in a single file.
-Come to a complete stop before crossing the street.
Riding the bus to school
-Go to the bus stop with your child to teach them the proper way to get on and off the bus.
-Make sure your children stand six feet away from the curb.
-If your child and you need to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the side of the road until you are at least 12 feet ahead of the bus. You always should be able to see the bus driver, and the bus driver always should be able to see you.
School Safety
Many school-related injuries are completely preventable. Follow these steps to ensure your child’s safety at school.
Preventing backpack-related injuries
-Chose a backpack for your child carefully. It should have ergonomically designed features to enhance safety and comfort.
-Don’t overstuff a backpack; it should weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight.
-For example, a child that weighs 60 pounds should carry a backpack no heavier than 12 pounds.
-Ask your children to use both straps when wearing their backpack to evenly distribute the weight.
Preventing playground-related injuries
-Encourage your child only to use playgrounds with a soft surface. Avoid playgrounds with concrete, grass and dirt surfaces, as they are too hard.
-Children under the age of four should not use climbing equipment and watch older children when they’re climbing.
-Do not let your children use monkey bars. They are unsafe and should not be used by children of any age.
Bullying
What to do if you’re bullied
-Look at the kid bullying you and tell him or her to stop in a calm, clear voice. You can also try to laugh it off. This works best if joking is easy for you. It could catch the kid off guard.
-If speaking up seems to hard or not safe, walk away and stay away. Find an adult to stop the bullying.
-Talk to an adult you trust. Don’t keep your feelings inside. Telling someone can help you feel less alone. They can help you make a plan to stop the bullying.
-Stay away from places where bullying happens.
-Stay near adults and other kids. Most bullying happens when adults aren’t around.
Stand up for others
When you see bullying, there are safe things you can do to make it stop.
-Talk to a parent, teacher, or another adult you trust. Adults need to know when bad things happen so they can help.

-Be kind to the kid being bullied. Show them that you care by trying to include them. Sit with them at lunch or on the bus, talk to them at school, or invite them to do something. Just hanging out with them will help them know they aren’t alone.

Provided by ncs.org and stopbullying.gov