Back to school safety tips Published Aug. 6, 2007 By Ms. Nardra Mitchell 49th Fighter Wing safety office HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Parents, guardians and adults who care for children face constant challenges when trying to help keep children safer in today's fast-paced world. Summer vacation is over and our school children will soon be wondering the halls of the Holloman and Alamogordo schools. Parents should teach their children safe behaviors even before enrolling them in school, so please take heed to the following safety tips: - Be sure your children know their home phone number and address, your work number, the number of another trusted adult and how to use 9-1-1 for emergencies. - Teach children, whether walking, biking or riding the bus to school, to obey all traffic signals, signs, traffic officers and safety patrols. Remind them to wear appropriate safety equipment and be extra careful in bad weather. - If walking to and from school, teach your child how to use crosswalks. Crosswalks do not always guarantee their safety, so teach them to look both ways for oncoming traffic before crossing the street. - Make sure your child does not walk to and from school alone. - Wear bright colored clothing to increase visibility. - Make sure your children check in with a parent or neighbor as soon as they arrive home from school. Make sure they tell you when they will be staying late at school. - Take time to listen carefully to your children's fears and feelings about people or places that scare them or make them feel uneasy. Take complaints about bullies and other concerns seriously. - If riding a school bus, ensure the child knows that he/she should always stay with a group while waiting at the bus stop. Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb and do not move around on the bus while bus is moving. - If riding a bike to school, always wear a helmet, no matter how short or long the ride. Make sure they know the rules of the road. Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic, use appropriate hand signals, and respect traffic lights and stop signs. -Watch the stress level of your children, particularly during the first month of school. School is not the only activity that starts this time of year; sports and after school activities start as well. Keep communication lines open with your children and let them know they always have the "knock it off" option if they feel they are overwhelmed. The beginning of the school year is a busy time for everyone: parents and students alike. Taking the time to review the rules and letting kids know where the hazard areas are marks this time of year as not only a busy time of year, but a special one as well.