Introduction
One of the big joys and advantages in being Homeschool Dads is being with the children while they try new activities. I take these opportunities to not only show them the right way to do something, but also the foolish ways that can get them hurt. Training a child is far easier under my direct supervision, than allowing someone with different standards than mine, to do so. I regularly explain to them should they go outside the boundaries of what they know how to do, any seemingly safe task can create a dangerous situation.
Any experienced parent understands a child can easily subject themselves to injury or death in everyday tasks. No parent wants a trip to the emergency room, so it’s incumbent upon parents to understand the child’s proclivity to danger and head off risky propositions.
There are plenty of adults who are not particularly observant when it comes to “risk management” in childcare. Most of us have heard the tales of children sticking a fork into a wall outlet. Dangerous to be sure. There are however endless opportunities for kids to take a seemingly innocent activity and turn it into an emergency.
The Wood and Kitchen Stoves
We have a wood stove. When we bought the home, I thought in advance of all the dangerous, deadly things my children could do at the wood stove that could either cause injury or kill everyone in the house. From the day we moved in, I’ve allowed them to observe me when I build a fire in the wood stove.
How I build the fire, what the different stages of fuel are, and how to properly build it have been important lessons. Foreknowledge of the dangers of doing it wrong have produced lessons showing how embers can pop out of the open door and onto flammable material, how smoke can enter the home, and how dangerous these situations are.
I’ve showed them how hot the wood stove gets when there is a fire, and how hot it remains hours after the fire has burned out. They have been told about the risks of playing with or around it. Because of these risks, the wood stove is off limits, until we need a fire. So far, this has kept their curiosity surrounding it at bay.
I’ve done this with the cooking stove as well. Show a child what happens to a hot dog on a hot burner and they immediately make the connection to fingers and hands. They know the HE [Hot Element] display light means the elements are still hot, even though the element is not red. I’ve taken the mystery out of the stove and oven. I allow them in the kitchen with me, I allow them to observe me cook. They’re allowed to mix and knead dough, but the appliances are off limits.
I show them why I use my knife the way I do, and the possible penalty for bad technique. One evening, while I was preparing dinner, my daughter witness me cut myself. It was the first time I had done that in probably 20 years. Ever since that evening, when she watches me use the knife she tells me “Dad be careful not to cut yourself”. She’s got it.
Tools are not toys
In our home we have a saying, I reinforce it often. The saying is “This is a tool not a toy”. The children are six and four years old. They are not allowed to play with tools. Every time one of them picks up a tool, they are asked the question “is that tool or a toy?” Their answer determines whether or not it will be allowed at that moment. It reinforces the constant lesson that tools are to be used for their intended purpose. If that purpose is not being performed, they’re to put it back where they got it.
Scissors and Pencils
Scissors are for cutting paper and for nothing else. My children are not allowed to use their imaginations in the use of tools. They are for use as tools not toys. Showing a child how to use a pair of scissors is important, but what’s equally if not more important, is showing them what can happen if they do not hold them correctly while carrying them between locations. [which is itself discouraged unless necessary].
How do you hold scissors correctly? See Figure 1.
The same goes for holding a pencil should you be taking it to another room. If a child slips and falls, or walks into someone while not holding it correctly, they run the risk of jabbing themselves or someone else.
Conclusion
Children often do “things” because they ask themselves “what would happen if..?” Then they experiment… then sometimes comes the dreaded disaster.
Heading off the ignorance of a child is not hard to do if you’re involved in their activities. You can be caught off guard, but dangerously curious children can be steered correctly if you anticipate the curiosity.
One advantage Homeschool dads have in keeping our children safe, is being there when the kids are trying new things. It’s imperative to show them how to use a tool, and how things can turn south quickly should they experiment foolishly. We can show them the safe way to do things.
“Kids will be kids”, “Boys will be boys.” These statements may be true to an extent, but it does not mean parents get a pass in being oblivious, or even lazy. We don’t want our kids constantly competing for a Darwin Award. Kids should not be doing risky things because parents or guardians don’t count the costs of not paying attention. There are precautions we can take to avoid certain hazards, but we can’t put the kids in a rubber room until they’re eighteen. It’s best to teach them how to think logically, and to look for the things that are unseen so they limit their own dangerous mistakes. This applies in all things.
A word to the wise should be sufficient.