“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precaution. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 27:12
With November marking the observance of National Child Safety and Protection Month, the spotlight is on this Annual Awareness Campaign that serves as an important reminder for parents and caregivers to place the highest importance on the safety of their children—to prepare for parenthood’s surprises!
In this blog post, I’ll share my perspective as a father of 4 and a Pediatric CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor on how this Bible verse relates to the journey of parenthood and the steps we should take to ensure that our precious little ones are safe and secure.
The Adventure of Parenthood
Parenthood is an incredible adventure filled with joy, love, and amazing moments! However, it also comes with an increased responsibility for the well-being of our children—it’s a time when we must embrace the wisdom of prudence.
Foreseeing Danger
From the moment our child is born, we innately become more vigilant and attuned to potential dangers. From open electrical outlets, to sharp corners and small objects that could be choking hazards, there are numerous risks in our everyday environment that we must foresee and address before it’s too late.
Why It Matters
Nearly a million families worldwide lose a child to an unintentional injury every year. In the United States alone, it’s approximately 8,000 children—or nearly one child per hour.
Please take a moment and let that sink in.
Here are some leading causes of unintentional injuries:
- SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
- Suffocations and Strangulations
- Choking
- Drowning
Another reality we should all be aware of as parents is that millions more children are injured every year.
“In the United States, nearly 5.6 million children are treated for injuries in emergency departments every year. These are often serious injuries that can affect them for a lifetime.” ~ Safe Kids Worldwide (safekids.org)
Taking Precautions
Prudence, in the context of parenthood and child safety, is all about foreseeing danger and taking precautions.
To be clear, I’m not talking about “helicopter parenting”—having an excessive amount of anxiety and trying to prevent every possible scenario to avoid your child ever getting hurt or something happening to them.
Let them explore. They’re kids after all—but exercise prudence!
As parents, we should ensure the right safety measures are in place, and to take it to the next level, we simply must learn a core set of life-saving skills every parent should know so that we’re prepared for various emergencies when our children need us the most!
Here are some practical ways to exercise prudence as a parent, expecting parent, or caregiver:
- Learn How to Create a Safe Sleep Environment
- Have Your Child’s Car Seat Checked Professionally by a Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)
- Learn How to Perform Infant and Child CPR
- Learn How to Save a Baby and Child From Choking
- Learn How to Create a Babysitter Checklist—because we’ll never know who will be taking care of our children in an emergency.
- Learn How to Create a Home and Fire Safety Plan and Establish a Designated Meeting Place—to make sure everyone in your family knows where to go in an emergency.
- Provide Professional Swimming Lessons For Your Children
The Rewards of Prudence
Embracing prudence as a parent isn’t just about preventing accidents; it’s about creating a nurturing and secure environment for your child to thrive. By foreseeing dangers and taking precautions, you provide your child with the best possible start in life.
The rewards are immeasurable.
Peace of Mind: Knowing that you’ve taken steps to keep your children safe provides peace of mind, allowing you to enjoy parenthood more fully.
Healthy Development: A safe and secure environment promotes healthy physical and emotional development in your child.
Strong Bond: By prioritizing your child’s safety, you build trust and a strong emotional bond with them.
Parenthood is a journey filled with love, joy, and an abundance of new experiences. It’s also a time to embrace prudence, foresee potential dangers, and take precautions to protect our little ones. As a father of 4, I’ve learned that prudence isn’t just a virtue; it’s a lifeline that ensures our children grow up safe, happy, and healthy. So, let’s walk the path of wisdom, foreseeing danger, and safeguarding our children from unnecessary harm.
Click Here to watch our On Purpose Parents Podcast episode, “How To Prepare For Parenthood’s Surprises”.
