12 safekids news | September 2018 ISSUE No 80 We sometimes get accused of trying to wrap kids up in cotton wool to keep them safe. How do you think you can balance keeping kids safe and letting them take risks and learn from their experiences? Well learning what I’ve learned about the risks has changed how I look at things. Better safe than sorry and if that’s ‘cotton wool’, well I’d rather have that than an injured child, thanks very much. I found myself putting Brook in a swing seat at the playground the other day and then stopping myself because it was clear he just wasn’t going to be secure. What have you learned about keeping your kids safe since you’ve been involved with Safekids? Some of it is applied common sense, but being part of making these Safety Tips with Buttabean videos puts it front-of-mind, so your question makes me think of the burns stuff we did recently and just how much thinner babies’ skin is than ours. If I spilt a cup of coffee in my lap it would be more of an embarrassment than an injury, but the impact on Brook would be horrendous. How do you think you can get these safety messages across to other whānau and friends? Being where they are and when they are open to them. This Facebook and Instagram approach is good, but I think we need to be in front of mums and dads and aunties and granddads when they are in the zone. So times like the antenatal classes before you have your baby; places like the supermarket or at the doctors. Maybe a booklet of these safety tips for the Plunket nurses when they visit. Not sure about when would be best for granddads, but I know when I’m with my girlfriends who have babies we’re always swapping info about what’s best. What would you like your friends and family to take away from your involvement with Safekids? The giant wake-up call about risk. We can all do our bit and keep an eye out; keep our little ones safe. And thanks to you guys for sharing the knowledge, I can see how much more aware the boys are now, so the word is spreading. What’s your number one parenting tip? Take the time to do it. And ‘taking time’ means taking time for yourself too - so you avoid reacting or over-reacting and getting mad. How common is common sense? Not very, but maybe it just takes a moment. Like I say take the time, check out the information Safekids has to offer and share it around. WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING THE MOTHER OF BOYS? “Fun, exhausting fun. But we’re pretty organised and like being on top of what we’re all doing.”