How do you keep your kids safe??

Interesting thread, having a 1.5 year old and another any day now, something I think a lot of.

When I grew up in the 90s/early 2000’s in a small town, we went anywhere (like most of you). I can recall being in the 1st-6th grade range, and every day after school you’d run home and get a quick snack, then run back to the park and play football, basketball, kickball, or hide and seek until it was dark. In the winter you’d head to the sledding hill in town. In the summer we’d bike a mile into the country and jump into the local creek off a bridge on the bike trail, then walk several miles up and down the creek through fields, hoping not to step on something rusty under the water.

I feel bad saying this, but being a parent now, I just couldn’t imagine letting one of my kids do that someday and not being in constant contact with them. Yet, by doing that, I am ultimately hurting them and their independence and their learning of risk vs. reward.

Does anybody have any kids that wear a Gizmo Watch?

Ah the old days, when I turned 9 my dad bought me a mini bike and a red white and blue helmet. I would disappear for hours and would only come home for gas…and the Can was always full??? Somehow I made it so far to 57 yo.

Here’s a road map that I found for working with children and raising our own. This has been a real lifesaver for me (literally once in the classroom) and my family. Parenting the Love and Logic Way is a balance in allowing kids to make mistakes when the costs are small and holding them accountable with empathy and love. You can get started here: https://www.loveandlogic.com/

I currently travel the nation teaching this. I want other parents to live as stress free as we do when it comes to children. Feel free to find out more at: http://www.theparentingprofessor.com

Just curious…. do you guys lay some basic ground rules and tell them things like “never get into a car with a stranger?”

What’s a Gizmo Watch?

First never leave a kid in the car ever. The police or fd WILL break a window and open the car up. Kids die every year in the summer. I’ve personally done this a number of times. Don’t do it. Even for a few minutes in the store it’s just as easy to get them and bring them in. I’m all for helmets knee pads elbow pads etc if They’re learning something new ie. Riding a bike without training wheels. Helmets always but if they fall off they won’t get hurt and will be more likely to get up and keep trying.

lindyrig79 wrote:

Just curious…. do you guys lay some basic ground rules and tell them things like “never get into a car with a stranger?”

When growing up we had ground rules, we could be by the lake and on the dock but never more than knee deep, and had to have a sibling or other person with us. Helmets on motor vehicles or when jumping our bikes. Had to tell mother when leaving the yard, life jackets in boat at all times when fishing (my brother and I “bought” a 14 ft boat at 8 and 9 years old). We never broke these rules because if we did we would loose our privileges and we never wanted that. I hope my son will be able to be trusted in such activities. I also agree that people should parent the way they see fit. Not all kids are created equal and need different guidance along the way of growing up.

lindyrig79 wrote:

What’s a Gizmo Watch?

A watch for kids that has cell service on it, I believe they are about $10-15 a month through Verizon or AT&T. You can pre program that with about 2 or 3 numbers that they can call off of the watch, and about 2 of 3 numbers that are able to call the watch. I believe there is probably some sort of GPS system on it as well.

I am not too familiar with it, but at a Conference a few months ago I was at, there was a speaker who was talking about a topic similar to this thread and he said he lets his kids ride their bikes through Wrigleyville in Chicago (where they live). The neighbors have even called the police on them for allowing their kids to leave on their own, but they trust them and are big supporters of risk vs reward play for children.

Seems like something that may be okay to have for parents that are in the “I don’t want to be in control, but I want the piece of mind to at least know where my kid is at if I need them.” And for the kids that are too young for their own phone yet, they can have a little safety and freedom still.