Child Safety: Fire Safety for Homeschooling Families

According to the KLAAS Kids Foundation, fire is one of the top three leading causes for accidental death in the home. Teaching your children responsible and safe habits concerning fire is important to your child's well-being. Here are some helpful tips!

Kids tend to be fascinated by the electrical socket. What is a normal, insignificant household appliance is right within the reach of children and appears to be a lot of fun to explore. Therefore, it is very important to discuss with your child that it is not a toy and that hands and objects should always be kept away from sockets and electrical cords.

Although they make the perfect support for a tent or fort, instruct your children to never place clothes, blankets, or similar items on a lamp. It may not seem like it, but lamps can produce a tremendous amount of heat and may ignite these materials. Find other, non-electrical objects with them that can be used instead!

Tell your children that matches and lighters are not to be used if a parent or other responsible adult is not present. In a similar vein, children should not cook in the kitchen by themselves, as accidents may occur. Make cooking a family affair. Children can learn great safety habits by your example.

Take a look around your own home and see if there is anything else that you can find that would be important to talk to your children about. Do you heat with a woodstove? Where are furnaces located? Every home is different, so make sure you have it all covered.

If a fire were to occur in your home, would your children know how to react? Always know where the fire extinguisher is and make sure that it is accessible. If the fire becomes unmanageable, do not take the time to collect prized items. Leave the house quickly. No material possession is as valuable as your life. It might even be a good idea to map out an escape route. Fires can cause confusion and panic, so it's good to be prepared.

There is one final thing to keep in mind. If a child were to catch on fire, here is a simple phrase that could save their life! "Stop, Drop, and Roll." Rolling around on the floor will help put out the fire.

For further instruction and information, get a group together and take a trip to the local fire station! Local firefighters would be more than happy to share with you and your children safety tips and fire prevention. It would be a lot of fun and provide your children with a firsthand experience.