Accidents effect health care cost! Parents and Safety

I look at what the discussion thread asks and I find myself very lucky in life when it comes to accidents. Not that I have never been in some sort of accident caused by risky behavior it just so happens I never had to be sent to the emergency room over the accident. Furthermore, none of my six children ever has hurt themselves to the degree of emergency services.

In contrast with my own life, I have heard many stories of children drowning in Florida, or gun accidents throughout the nation. It truly makes me question how attentive are parents today to be able to determine risk factors and practice safety in their own homes.

I honor my father and his mentoring that provided a safety net for his children, and by tradition, I passed this down to my own children. I grew up around guns, but was trained to respect how deadly they were and why it was not a plaything. I was taught how to clean a gun by first making sure there was no bullet in the chamber. At the age of nine, under my father’s supervision I fired my first 12-gage shotgun, which ended with me flat on my back. Believe me my respect for firearms grew that day! Never were the guns locked up, we always knew where to find the bullets, but we were taught respect of the deadly risk value they held. As children, we were content to playing with toy cap guns our rubber band guns remembering never to shoot at the face. I believe because of my father’s teaching the taboo was lifted from guns and answered to our curiosity and gave respect to leave them alone.

I grew up around pools and ponds as did my children, again following my father’s footsteps I took it a step further and had my 6 month olds knowing how to doggie paddle. I taught my older children to look after their younger siblings, creating a culture of safety and empathy. As I was enrolled in, Boy Scouts I did this as well with my children these organizations teach safety, with every merit badge pursued.

I always find it troublesome when laws are created because of parents neglect with the teaching of safety to their children. We are bound to have accidents but we can greatly curtail the severity by good nurturing, teaching, and respect of high-risk areas apparent in life. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of parents, not laws, that attempt to change behaviors that hold the greatest value. Whe need laws that promote family, considering the trend of single parent households. This raises the likely hood of accidents accruing when only two eyes are on the children verses four.