| When teaching kids about bicycle safety and fire | | | | children never to touch the fuse box. If someone does |
| safety, as well as safety on the Internet, many parents | | | | not know what they are doing, touching a 220-volt |
| forget to teach their children about electrical safety. | | | | connector can cause enough electricity to seriously |
| There are a few simple rules that you need to teach | | | | injure and even kill a small child. |
| your child about electricity and electrical appliances. | | | | Children should also be aware of the dangers of |
| The most important rule for children is not to stick | | | | electricity that are outside as well. You should teach |
| anything into electrical outlets. For small children under | | | | them that mud puddles are the same as the bathtub, |
| four years of age, you may want to purchase | | | | and that they should not get anything electrical around |
| electrical outlet covers. These accessories are small | | | | them. They should also not climb electrical towers, |
| plastic covers that plug right into the outlet so that any | | | | telephone poles, or any other structure that has power |
| spare plug-ins are covered. For older children over five | | | | lines attached to it. Children should avoid any contact |
| years of age, you need to explain to them that | | | | with electrical lines, such as when they are flying a kite |
| electricity is dangerous and that by sticking objects into | | | | or a radio-controlled airplane. |
| outlets can cause them to get electrocuted or possibly | | | | Along with human-made electricity, children should be |
| start a fire. | | | | made aware of the dangers of electrical storms. |
| As well as electrical outlets, you should also teach your | | | | These are those storms that have lightning and |
| children not to stick objects into appliances. These can | | | | thunder, although the lightning may not always be |
| also cause an electrical shock. Children should also not | | | | visible. If the children are at the park, they should seek |
| tear apart or try to fix electrical appliances. These | | | | cover at the closest shelter or building. At home, they |
| devices are much more complicated than they look, | | | | should get inside immediately and remain there until the |
| and any short circuit in them can again cause electrical | | | | storm passes. Many children are fascinated by lightning |
| fires or electrocution. You should also teach them to | | | | storms and may forget how dangerous these forces |
| tell an adult if they notice any appliances sparking or | | | | of nature can be. Adults are just as guilty of this |
| having a funny smell. Many fires are started by | | | | fascination as children. Many adults have been struck |
| appliances that are continuously plugged in, such as | | | | by lightning on golf courses and other areas where |
| toasters and coffee makers and your child may notice | | | | they should not have been during a storm, while others |
| a problem before you do. | | | | enjoy sitting in the backyard in metal lawn chairs to |
| The bathroom can be one of the most dangerous | | | | watch the sky. Again, adults and children alike should |
| rooms in your house. You should teach your child to be | | | | remember that lightning can be deadly. Seek shelter |
| careful with electrical devices around water, such as | | | | and remain inside until the storm has passed. |
| radios around the bathroom sink or bathtub. They | | | | Electricity is responsible for many of the conveniences |
| should also be careful around the kitchen sink and | | | | that we enjoy in our every day life. It is also important |
| anywhere else where there may be standing water | | | | to teach your children to respect it as the powerful |
| inside you home. | | | | force that it is. |
| If the power should go out in the house, advise your | | | | |