Back to School Safety Tips for Parents
Learning bus schedules and meeting new teachers. Shopping for super-sweet backpacks and getting overdue haircuts. The smell of fresh notebooks, erasers, and No. 2 pencils. Ah, the joys of back-to-school season! The start of a school year is an exciting time. But when life gets hectic, things get missed, so ask yourself: With all the shopping and prepping and scheduling, have you had time to sit down and discuss back-to-school family safety? A recent U.S. Census report shows 7 million of the nation’s 38 million elementary and middle school-aged children are left home alone regularly. Even if a child isn’t home alone, they may walk alone to and from school, the bus, or an after-school activity. With a few simple instructions and a little bit of practice, children can feel confident being home alone for a few hours outside of the school day. Also, parents will have peace of mind knowing their child is prepared in case of an emergency. So carve out some time during these final days of