{"id":227814,"date":"2020-01-17T14:30:59","date_gmt":"2020-01-17T12:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/?p=227814"},"modified":"2020-01-17T14:35:42","modified_gmt":"2020-01-17T12:35:42","slug":"keep-children-safe-go-back-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2020\/01\/17\/keep-children-safe-go-back-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep your children safe as they go back to school"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With schools across the country open for the 2020 academic year, there is excitement among learners who look forward to new friends and new experiences.<\/p>\n<p>But parents and caregivers might feel some dread, especially those who are worried about the safety of their children while they make their way to school and back.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThere are basic tips that we believe parents can follow, to make a difference to the safety of their children and to give everyone peace of mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt boils down to making sure your children know exactly how to avoid possible danger, and also what they must do in case something bad happens to them,\u201d said Charnel Hattingh, Fidelity ADT\u2019s national marketing and communications manager.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Hattingh has the following tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Children must always walk to or from school with a friend or friends. If your child walks alone, it\u2019s a good idea to ask a teacher or other parents if they know of other children from the area who do the same. Some towns have started \u201cwalking buses\u201d, where local parents volunteer to walk to and from school with a group of school children to assure their safety.<\/li>\n<li>Stick to streets you know and never take short cuts through unfamiliar or quiet areas.<\/li>\n<li>If you get picked up at school, always wait inside the grounds for your lift to arrive; do not leave the premises to go and look for them in the street.<\/li>\n<li>Remember, your parents would never send someone you don\u2019t know to fetch you. Never get into a stranger\u2019s car even if they claim that someone you love is hurt and that they are supposed to pick you up. It is a good idea to consider using a password system, to ensure that the person collecting you is in fact a friend of your parents or someone you can trust.<\/li>\n<li>If a stranger approaches you, do not talk to them no matter how friendly they may seem. If someone tries to grab you, fight, kick and scream that they are not your mom or dad.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In some cases children have to see themselves to and from school and keep occupied until mom and dad return home in the evening.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/227324\/elsburg-police-offer-community-home-safety-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elsburg police offer community home safety tips<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/226887\/heed-tips-avoid-becoming-victim-smash-grab\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Heed these tips to avoid becoming a victim of a smash-and-grab<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is extremely important that children know not to let anyone into the house without your permission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you are going to be late, let your children know as soon as possible and give them an idea of when they can expect you to be home,\u201d said Hattingh.<\/p>\n<p>She suggested drawing up a list of important telephone numbers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis list must include emergency services and mom and dad\u2019s work and cellphone numbers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSave it on your child\u2019s cellphone, and stick it on or near the landline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s also important to explain to them when these should be used,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Hattingh added that everyone in the household should also know how to use your home security system \u2013 children included \u2013 and when and how to use the panic buttons.<\/p>\n<p>She added that her company has employed special trainers across the country, to offer personal safety training classes at schools.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Hav<\/strong><strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-admin\/germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\">germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:leighh@caxton.co.za\">leighh@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Ashley Kiley (Journalist)\u00a0<strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:ashleyk@caxton.co.za\">ashleyk@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Also follow us on:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210323\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Facebook.jpg\" alt=\"\" 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noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210326\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/youtube.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/newsletter-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210327 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Newsletter.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\" style=\"text-align: center\"><\/div>\n<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='5c9cf7c29da6a9f3388462177f594a69'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Children must always walk to or from school with a friend or friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":227823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Content provided","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[30143,14287,979,969,2734,1392,3036,1050],"class_list":["post-227814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news-headlines","tag-bck-to-school","tag-fidelity-adt","tag-germiston","tag-germiston-city-news","tag-melissa-hart","tag-safety","tag-safety-tips","tag-school"],"amp_enabled":true,"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Local news"},"tag_labels":["bck to school","Fidelity ADT","germiston","germiston city news","melissa hart","safety","safety 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