Co-Parenting: Keeping Your Kids Safe This Summer Is a Team Effort

 Posted on July 14, 2016 in Children

For many Illinois children and teens, summer is a season of outdoor adventure. Swimming, biking, hiking, and nights spent around the campfire become cherished memories and when summer is over, children often spend the colder months reminiscing and looking forward to their next summer vacation. For some families, summer also means family vacations and extended stays at summer camp. These, as well as everyday activities back home, are not without their risk of injury. Children can suffer life-changing injuries in accidents and all sorts of summertime scenarios, especially when they are not adequately supervised. To prevent an injury this summer, speak with your former spouse about safety rules for outdoor activities, vacations, and summer camp. Working together is part of your parenting agreement and as parents, it is your job to keep your child safe.

Summer Safety Topics to Discuss with Your Former Spouse and Your Child  

• Pool and water safety: On hot days, your child will probably go swimming in a pool or a lake. On vacation, he or she might even have a chance to swim in the ocean. Discuss boundaries to enforce when swimming, such as requiring that an adult be present at all times when your child is in or near the water or requiring that he or she wear a life jacket while on a boat;
• Fire safety: If your child's summer will involve campfires, talk to him or her about safe procedures around fires. Stress what to do if he or she catches on fire: stop, drop, and roll on the ground to put the fire out;   
• Safe boundaries: Your child might go hiking or bicycling with friends this summer. Discuss how far he or she may venture from home and certain areas he or she is not to go, such as crossing highways or beyond a certain point in your neighborhood; and    
• What to do in the event of an emergency: At summer camp and while out with friends, your child could potentially suffer an     accident like a bicycle collision or a fall from a dock or raised platform. Discuss what to do in such as situation with your child.   

Your discussion with your former spouse should be about which rules to relax for the summer, such as an appropriate bedtime for your child, as well as your expectations for how he or she will be supervised while doing outdoor summer activities.

Work with an Experienced Kane County Family Attorney

Even in the years after your divorce, you still need to work cooperatively with your former partner to effectively parent your children. This involves supporting them financially, physically, and emotionally and keeping them safe. As school winds down and the summer approaches, talk with your former spouse about your children's anticipated summer activities and implement rules that will keep them safe. For further guidance with your parenting plan agreement, work with an experienced Kane County family lawyer from the Goostree Law Group.  

Sources:

http://www.swimmingpool.com/games-safety/pool-safety/pool-safety-guidelines

http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/safety-tip-sheets