Protect your child and mold the next generation

With the conclusion of this week brings a new week with big changes for many young people: the start of school. Although it is a normal routine for most parents and something they know from experience will bring certain outcomes in their child's life, for a small child the start of school can be a very dramatic change.

Even though we have all gone through the school experience, it is easy to forget how life changing it was. Think about how it feels to go back to work just after a long weekend! For a child, starting school for the first time, or starting again after months of being at home every day, can be a big deal for them. We know how important school can be for our children, but sometimes it is easy to forget how much encouragement our children need from us as they go through school.

The last time there was a bad storm and we were sitting in the living room I noticed every time it thundered really loud my two smallest girls would look at me to see if they were supposed to be scared. Children soak in anything they can from their parents, whether it be for good or bad; they want to be who you are and they will look to you for courage, determination, motivation, and hope.

Investing in our children as a parent, grandparent, teacher, and a community is how we all invest in a better world for tomorrow. Abraham Lincoln said, "My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth." Our children today are our hope for tomorrow.

I also like to remind everyone around this time of the year to be extra vigilant when driving through our communities to watch for school crossings, and school busses. With an increase in smart phone usage, more and more accidents are being caused by inattentive drivers using their phones.

It is also a good idea to discuss some safety rules with your children. Make sure they remember to look both ways before crossing the street, not to talk to strangers who may try and approach them, and who and when to contact if they are approached are all good places to start.

If a child has very far to walk before or after school, walking with a neighboring child if possible can greatly reduce the risk of abduction. If a child gets home before the parents or caregiver, having a way they can notify someone they are home is a good idea.

Vehicle accidents involving teen drivers also spike every September as more teen drivers begin driving to school. Teenage children are also in the highest risk area for driving while using a cell phone. Checking a child's phone can reveal if they are texting during the times they are driving.

It is also good to monitor your child's internet and media usage during the school years. Many children are introduced to new apps they can use on their phone to share photos and texts that are "hidden" within their phone or that automatically delete from their device so it cannot be read by anyone else.

Check for any new apps that were not on the phone before and if you are wondering what each app does, search for "dangerous teenage apps" online and familiarize yourself with the names of the ones that may cause alarm if they appear on your teen's device. It is not an invasion of privacy if it is your child!