DURING the summer, most families find that their usual rules are in abeyance.
Children are allowed to stay up later, play out more, eat lots of ice cream – or is that just me?
We used to have lots of people to stay when we were children, and make up daft games.
I remember spending hours playing a letter writing game, wh
ere we all wrote to each other while actually sitting in the same room, and then the postman among us would distribute the letters.
Great for literacy, but not necessarily the most exciting game we ever played.
And then there was the notorious Fall Flat on Your Face game, where we would stand on our beds and fall forward on to the mattress without putting our hands out. Hours of fun…
I remember significant rites of passage in my childhood happening during the summer holidays, like being allowed to walk to the shop on my own, or having permission to go off on my bike unsupervised.
And, while we're all heeding the latest advice to allow our children to take more risks in play, there are still some common sense things we need to do to make sure we keep kids safe.
We found answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about child safety...
n How old do children have to be before they can be left at home alone?
There is no legal age that tells you when it's OK to leave a child alone at home, but if in doubt make sure they have an adult with them.
Older children left at home to babysit should be young people whom you trust and who behave responsibly.
The first time you leave your child in the house on their own, make sure you have talked to them about possible dangers in the home and how to get help if they need it.
n Is there a safe age for children to use bunk beds?
National charity Children's Accident Prevention Trust (Capt) recommend that top bunks are not used by children under six-years-old.
However old your child is, check around the bed to make sure that they could not fall off on to sharp corners like bookcases or radiators.
And, however exciting it can appear to little ones, never let children of any age play on the top bunk.
Check out Capt advice at www.capt.org.uk
n What if a child swallows medicines or household chemicals?
Don't give them anything to drink or try to make them vomit.
Contact your doctor or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Take the container with you to the phone so you can tell them what has been swallowed.
Store household chemicals and medicines high up out of a child's reach.
Many child-resistant caps are not childproof and some four or five-year-olds can undo them.
n How do I make sure my child is safe on their bike?
Always, always, always make sure they wear a cycle helmet – even when they're playing on the drive in full view of the house.
And agree safe routes for them to cycle when they're old enough to go out without you.
Get more tips about cycling in Sheffield at www.sheffield.gov.uk/cycling
What do you think? Add your comments below.
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FeaturesMore Rotherham newsMore Doncaster newsMore Barnsley newsCheck out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic sectionLatest sport. The full article contains 599 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
