Toddler Safety

Safety is a big concern when children become older and more independent so it’s important to start early in teaching some basic skills. 

Most all toddlers start out being carried, riding in strollers etc… and the transition away from that can be a bit scary for parents. Many kids dart off after the first leaf they see moving on the ground, run to pet a dog, run across the street to see a parent and it freaks us out. Typically there’s a reaction where we grab the kids, tell them not to do that, sigh, and then next time we try to hold on to them for dear life before it happens again. The challenging thing is we are also holding on to the baby and the groceries and the purse and the mail that we just picked up. And we just feel flustered and it’s chaos. 

It’s too much. So instead of your toddler being another crazy thing on the list, let’s empower them with skills to help you out. 

Children develop differently, but around two years old I’d suggest teaching some basic commands that our children know and follow right away.  

STOP and WAIT. 

These two commands will make a huge difference in your child’s impulse control and being able to think for themselves. Being able to stop or wait on command will keep them safe and give you some peace of mind.

Practice the STOP command when you are out riding bikes or running and playing. Make it a game. Every time you yell STOP they have to freeze. Show them what it means to stop. Be specific about what you expect their body to do. Show them that STOP means we stop the bike and wait, STOP means we freeze our feet, STOP means we do it fast, and we wait for the adult. STOP means now. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing. No excuses, we STOP. Show them and practice. It won’t take long for them to understand the concept. 

The goal is that we can go for a family walk and they can ride their bikes up ahead, you yell STOP and immediately they stop and wait for you. You see a car coming, you yell STOP and again, right away they stop and the car can pass. We don’t always have the time to explain the situation or run over and grab our children. We need them to be able to follow that command as soon as possible without hesitation. 

In addition to the STOP command, WAIT can also be useful. I use it alot when we are waiting to cross the street, or walking in the parking lot. It’s also helpful in the kitchen when I need them to not touch the cookies that are too hot. Again, there’s not always the time to explain the situation and we just need our children to not do the thing that's going to hurt them or break something or cause some sort of issue. One word commands help tremendously. You can always take the time to explain after. I usually have a whole talk about the situation afterward to teach the kids why I want them to do something a certain way or why I had them stop and wait. This information will help them understand and empower them to make safe choices on their own. 

It takes a bit of effort, but makes a huge difference in your stress levels. Don’t wait until your children are 4 or 5 years old to begin teaching life skills. They are ready way before then and are capable of so much.