Top 5 Security Tips Your Kids Need to Know

There is nothing more important than your family’s safety, which is why educating your children about how to look after themselves is such an important issue. From stranger danger to how to cross the road safely, it seems that most of our lives are spent trying to keep our precious little ones safe and sound—even long after they’re little ones, in most cases! Part of having a good home security system in place is making sure the whole family understands how to stay safe.

Unfortunately, thieves and other dangerous criminals will take advantage of the most innocent and helpless in society, which includes children. A child at home alone, or unsupervised in the backyard can be the weakest link in your home security chain, or worse, can be vulnerable to an attack themselves. Here are 5 tips your kids need to know to help keep themselves and your home safe:

Ask First, Don’t Open

When it comes to answering the door, there are various schools of thought among parents about how old their children should be before being allowed to do it themselves. Whatever you decide, the important thing is ensuring that your child understands how to do it without risking their safety.

Make sure you have a security screen door, so that your child can speak to the person on the other side without having to grant them access to the house. Ensure that if the person is someone they don’t know, they understand never to let them in until a parent lets them know it’s ok.

Don’t Give Anything Away on the Phone

A common trick among thieves is to ‘cold call’ a home to check whether anyone is there. If your child answers and tells them that they are home by themselves, it could endanger them and your home to burglars. Instruct them that anyone who calls should be politely asked to identify themselves, and never to say that their parents aren’t home—only that they can’t come to the phone right now and they’ll phone whoever it is back.

Stay Alert

While you don’t want to scare your kids or make them distrustful of everyone, the sad fact is that in this day and age kids need to be able to spot someone who is up to no good. Encouraging them to stay alert and watch for signs that something isn’t right is a great way to help them be more security-conscious. A few things they can look out for are:

·      People that seem to be hanging around the house

·      Unfamiliar cars in the street

·      People asking questions of them

·      People that make them feel unsafe for any reason.

Make sure your kids know that there is no incident too trivial to let you know about, and that they can call you at any time to let you know about something they think isn’t right.

As well as a secure home and a good home insurance policy, all members of a household need to understand how to stay safe. Educating your kids about the risks is not the most pleasant thing to have to talk about, but it could save a life.

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My Blue Hand Reflexology Ball

I bought this ball -months ago- at a book store. It’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. I’ve ever once browsed to find out more its benefits.  I read that the regular basis usage will generally improve one’s health.  It’s perfect to use during/after working hours or long study times, as it can help to relieve your tiredness and stress.

You can squeeze the ball anytime. I admit that I don’t use it frequently. I usually squeeze the ball while watching TV or blogging. Interested to try it? My left hand is squeezing the ball right now :)

Blue Monday

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Pelicans

The pelican birds that live around the pond at the Ragunan Zoo (Jakarta, Indonesia). Hope they live happily and healthy there.

CameraCritters

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5 Facts about Sports Injuries and Their Treatment

While increased participation in physical activity is to be encouraged for the health benefits that it can provide, some people are putting themselves at an increased risk by failing to properly warm up or safely train.

Although there are effective treatments for many sports injuries, and those who sustain sports injuries are often able to return to participation at some level, by taking the appropriate precautions, many sports injuries can be prevented. You can also help younger, active children with infant massage and baby massage.

Here we look at six facts about sports injuries, with a particular focus on treatment:

1) What are ‘Sports Injuries’?

‘Sports injuries’ is a broad term that relates to the types of injuries that result from participation in sports or exercise. These injuries occur for a broad range of reasons, including: accidents, inadequate training practices, substandard or inappropriate equipment, an absence of conditioning and inadequate warm-ups and stretching.

2) Musculoskeletal Injuries

While sports injuries can affect almost any part of the body, injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system (including bones, muscles and tissues such as cartilage) are by far the most common. Physiotherapists commonly see and treat people who have sustained injuries to their musculoskeletal system and support them with physio exercises and soft tissue manipulation.

3) The Seriousness of Sport Injuries

Some sports injuries require first aid and the immediate attention of emergency personnel, while others can be treated by a qualified and skilled professional, such as a physiotherapist. Physios provide varied and extensive support including exercise rehabilitation and specific exercises to strengthen muscles and joints, so that your presenting injury is not only treated but future injuries are prevented.

4) Treatment  

Beyond the immediate treatment to a sports injury (rest, ice, compression and elevation), there are a number of different ways that sports injuries can be treated.

The purpose of rehabilitation (in the form of exercise), is to return the injured body part to its normal range and level of function. While a physio will provide specific exercises and recommendations, it is often the case that getting the body part moving as quickly as possible following an injury expedites its healing. Mobilisation commonly begins with a range of gentle exercises designed to increase range of motion. Then the treatment progresses to deeper stretching and strengthening exercises.

As a person’s injury heals and scar tissue forms, the risk of re-injury is heightened by damaged tissues that are tight or stiff. In light of this, stretching and strengthening exercises are all the more important.

5) Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs  

Another treatment for sports injuries is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While inflammation is critical for healing, it can also hinder the healing process if it is not checked and managed. As a result, some doctors and health professionals advise patients to take such anti-inflammatory drugs as: aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.

No one anticipates sustaining a sports injury, but the reassuring news is that there are some effective treatments available through health professionals, such as physiotherapists. While treatment should always be sought for sports injuries, it is vitally important that individuals also commit to the prevention and re-occurrence of injuries.

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