KEARNEY, Neb. — As students prepare to return to the classroom, families are being encouraged to reset routines and review safety practices ranging from school bus stops and e-bikes to online activity.
Tracy Dethlefs-Rademacher of CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney said families can begin preparing now by gradually returning children to a school-year schedule.
“Be thinking about changing that bedtime routine, making sure screen times are off about an hour at least before you want them to be getting to bed,” Dethlefs-Rademacher said. “Start setting the structure so that the kids start out with a good week.”
E-bike safety
With e-bikes and electric scooters becoming more common, Dethlefs-Rademacher said parents should understand the speed and weight of the equipment before deciding whether it is appropriate for a child.
She said many safety recommendations discourage e-bike and e-scooter use by children younger than 16 because the machines can travel faster, weigh more and are often operated around vehicle traffic.
Protective equipment is also important. Dethlefs-Rademacher said riders should make sure helmets and other safety gear are appropriate for the higher speeds some e-bikes can reach.
“Those helmets aren’t doing any good if we’re not wearing them,” she said, adding that helmet use is important for both children and adults.
Drivers urged to watch for buses
The return of school also means more buses, young drivers and children near roadways.
Dethlefs-Rademacher encouraged motorists to put down their phones and pay close attention around school bus stops, including rural roads where buses may be stopping to pick up students.
Drivers should also remember that when a school bus activates its stop arm on an undivided roadway, traffic traveling in both directions must stop.
Parents of teenagers driving to school for the first time can also help by practicing the route ahead of the first day.
“Get out there with your kids and drive these next couple of weeks and find safe routes,” Dethlefs-Rademacher said. She encouraged parents to reinforce safe following distances, slower speeds and avoiding distractions.
Prepare children for emergencies
Parents can also prepare younger children for the safety drills they may encounter at school, including fire and tornado drills.
Dethlefs-Rademacher said explaining those procedures beforehand can help students understand why they need to listen closely to teachers during an emergency.
She also encouraged families to discuss more difficult topics, including active-shooter drills, in an age-appropriate way so children are not encountering the subject for the first time at school.
Online and stranger safety
Online safety should remain part of the back-to-school conversation as well.
Dethlefs-Rademacher said parents should stay involved with their children’s online activity and remind them not to share personal information, including where they live or attend school, with people they meet through games or social media.
Children should also tell their parents when they begin communicating with someone online and should never arrange an in-person meeting without parents or other trusted adults being involved.
She said families should also revisit basic stranger-safety lessons and walk children through scenarios involving unfamiliar adults, vehicles or requests for help.
“Those conversations we take for granted, but it’s really important that kids go through some mock scenarios with families,” Dethlefs-Rademacher said.
She said taking a little time before classes begin to review those situations can help families start the new school year safely.
