Carol Ofori shares safety tips when shopping with your kids this holiday
Communication is key in all family situations...
If there is one that we can do our best to control, it is being proactive with the safety of our children.
This is particularly true during the holidays, because besides the fact that it is extremely busy everywhere around this time of year, the number of missing children tends to escalate around the Festive Season.
For this very reason, Carol Ofori has shared some valuable and useful safety tips when shopping with the kids this holiday period. But these tips can also be applied to when you are just going out with the family in general.
Moms and dads, make sure to be clear with your kids about where you are going and that it is going to be busy. They should listen and stay close at all times.
Carol's youngest is potty training, and therefore it is important to tell the kids to use the toilet before leaving the house.
She also just carries a nappy, just in case it becomes too much with the underwear. It can be draining when you're out with a list of things to do and a potty trainee, but try not to use the nappy unless it becomes too much.
Let your child feel the independence of using underwear in a busy environment. Also, keep taking them to the toilet as often as possible, especially if they have had something to drink.
Read more: Tips on child safety during festive season
Make sure your kids are well fed and hydrated before you go out on your shopping adventures, because they will ask for all the wrong foods, and we all know that most kids have an appetite when it comes ice-cream and cookies.
Also, time your shopping trip appropriately. Take into consideration their nap time and work around them. Don't go just before nap time, better to wait for them to nap before going. Don't take extended time when shopping because children can get crabby if you're out too long, stay cognisant of the time.
Check out more from East Coast Radio
Always remember that your kids are just kids. Inevitably, kids get crabby when they are out so when they do get irritable, cut your shopping trip short.
When we become parents, we choose our kids over everything else. So, it is important to put them first when you're out and about and they get fussy.
After all, we all know how frustrating it can be as an adult, so be patient with them and plan well. Don't leave your important shopping to the last minute.
Image Supplied by Carol Ofori