All accidents involving children are unfortunate, but those that result in the death of a child are especially tragic. There is no situation more difficult for a parent to have to deal with than the loss of a child, especially when that loss could have been prevented.

When children are involved in accidents, it is usually because they were not following basic safety precautions. We could say that it was their fault for being careless. But as parents, guardians, or friends, we should assume some of the blame for not teaching them the proper safety precautions and then not teaching them to conduct themselves in a responsible manner.

Trying to teach children about safety sometimes seems like a hopeless task. Maybe it is because they so often see adults who do not follow even the basic safety precautions. As adults, our first objective should be to help our children develop good safety habits, and we should model these habits in everything we do.

Although we will never replace the role of parents, the Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service places farm and home safety as one of the major issues we should address. Whether we are working with children at summer day camps, with farmers teaching them how to calibrate a sprayer, or with a homeowner modifying a house to accommodate a parent suffering from Alzheimer's disease, we try to incorporate safety into our instructions. Our staff is very concerned about safety, and we realize that many of the people we work with, or their children, can at any time become the victim of a serious accident.

To help better educate youth about the cause of accidents and how to avoid them, our entire staff joined together several years ago to provide an Annual Farm and Home Safety Day Camp. We have been fortunate to secure the support of Progressive Farmer magazine in their nationwide safety campaign.

Our annual Progressive Farmer Farm and Home Safety Day Camp was held Monday, June 28, at the Extension Center in Lumberton. This training targeted youth between the ages of 8 and 14 and was attended by approximately 60 youth and some of their parents. Lunch, tee shirts, an assortment of safety items, and door prizes were available for those completing the training.

Interactive games and presentations were held to directly involve youth in learning how to prevent accidents. Special training was provided on topics such as disability awareness, fire safety, ATV safety, and bicycle safety.

Too many times I have seen adults mowing the lawn with a riding lawn mower and a child sitting in their lap. As everyone knows, children are unpredictable. Tragedy strikes when a child slips from the grasp of the adult and falls into the moving blades of the mower.

The coming week will be an important time for you to model safety for your children. The 4th of July provides a lot of time for outdoor activities, which often lead to accidents. By all means, protect your children from the dangers of fireworks. Think for a minute -- why are there so many restrictions on fireworks? It is because they are so dangerous. I will venture to say that you will see newspaper articles or news reports on television about someone who was seriously injured or killed by fireworks during the 4th of July celebrations. Please do not let the article be about you or a member of your family.

It is your responsibility to take the lead to help your child prevent accidents. Please be a positive role model for your children, grandchildren, and any other children who may be influenced by your actions. It is important they learn and practice the basic rules of safety. The few minutes you spend helping young people learn how to be safe might save the life of your child or may prevent your child from having a disabling accident.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 7/22/04