Editorial

Let's help kids have a fun, safe summer vacation

Monday, May 19, 2014

School's out for summer -- almost; just ask a kid who hasn't graduated yet and may be counting down the hours until the final dismissal of the year.

It's time to enjoy the outdoors, take part in baseball, softball and soccer, plan a family vacation or head to the lake. There are summertime jobs for older kids, and all of us adjust our daily activities in tune with the calendar.

Unfortunately, changing routines can mean trouble when we haven't remembered the lessons we learned last summer or face new hazards we haven't thought about.

Too often, we hear about children involved in accidents because they were unsupervised after school got out.

And, even if adults are present, accidents can occur because basic safety guidelines are ignored.

We're getting an early dose of one of summer's hazards, hot weather, with a 90-degree high predicted.

It's especially dangerous for infants and children up to 4 years of age, who, like pets, should never be left in cars on a warm day. Older children and adults need to take steps to avoid heat-related injuries, use sunscreen, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks when it's extremely hot.

Make sure everyone wears a life jacket, and know what you're doing when you take out your boat or personal water craft. State law requires everyone born after Dec. 31, 1985, to complete a boating safety course before operating a motorboat or personal watercraft. They must be at least 14 to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft in Nebraska. Go to BoatSafeNebraska.org to find out more.

Training is also important for operators of ATVs, and everyone on an ATV, motorcycle, scooter or bicycle should wear a helmet to avoid concussion.

Camping has its own set of hazards, from fire safety to food safety to avoiding ants in your sleeping bag.

And, kids don't have to go outdoors to get into trouble if they're unsupervised. Household hazards such as chemicals and weapons should be secured where they are inaccessible and children should be supervised to avoid fire and electrical hazards.

While it's important to stay safe, we're not saying parents should enclose their kids in bubble-wrap for the summer. Getting outdoors to exercise in the fresh air and sunshine are important for everyone's physical health and well-being, and our community should provide as many opportunities as possible.

We are still hopeful the skatepark project will become a reality, in a central, accessible public spot. Skateboarding can be a hazardous sport, of course, but it's infinitely safer in a designated park than on public streets and sidewalks.

And we'd like to see revamping of the municipal swimming pool to a zero-depth pool and / or a splash pad like some neighboring towns have.

To sum it up, let's do all we can to make sure our kids have a great summer, and stay safe while they're doing it.

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