November is known chiefly for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. However, most people don’t realize that November is more than that. The beginning of National Child Protection Safety Month! This month serves as a great reminder to focus on things you can do to protect your loved ones; created to raise awareness about potential dangers that children may face each and every day.

It’s important to understand ways to keep you and your children safe regardless of their age, such as: educating on how dangerous everyday items could be, checking your child’s booster seat, explaining why to avoid talking to strangers, steering clear of them being by the deep ends of a pool, and more. Raising children itself is a difficult task but keeping them safe whether it’s your children or the ones in your neighborhood is also a team effort. Every parent, guardian, caregiver, and educator should at least have access to tips and tools to keep the children in your community safe. 

One possible way to educate yourself is by finding a car seat technician. They’re trained individuals who can give parents one-on-one personalized instruction on how to properly use and install a child safety seat, along with information on seat belt guidance, child restraints, booster seat recommendations, and more. You can even train to be a car seat technician yourself too! This would be beneficial by teaching your neighbors what safety tips to follow. 

Do what you can to control the environment in which you live by starting at home and ensuring both your indoor and outdoor space is clean and clutter-free. A well-cared-for neighborhood can help reduce crime and positively affect child development. Working to improve the lighting in your street is extremely important for child safety. You can advocate for more street lights by suggesting neighbors turn on their porch lights or installing motion-sensored lights to help children to be visible at night and alert for intruders. There are many safety procedures to be aware of celebrating this month, these are just a few!