Parents send their children off to school in the hopes that they get an education they deserve that will help them later out in life. Parents spend the first few years during the lives of their children nurturing them and preparing them for life but eventually they have to give up some of that power and responsibility and hand their children off to the school system. It can be hard for parents to watch their kids leave their home and go off into the real world.

One thing the school system is responsible for is to ensure the safety of the kids that attend. Safe schools are just a part of the equation and that doesn't mean parents can't have a say when it comes to safety matters. There are plenty of safety tips you can teach your children as well that don't only involve their time at school. In fact, parents should be the first person kids learn about safety from.

Parents should be the ones to tell their children to watch out for cars as they cross the street, that they shouldn't talk to the strangers, that they shouldn't accept rides from strangers, that they shouldn't leave any food or drinks unattended when in a public space. Also teach them that they need to wear protective gear when playing sports, that doing drugs is bad, that drinking alcohol is only allowed to be done by adults, that they need to be careful around appliances likes stoves when they're turned on because they might get burnt, etc.

Those are universal safety tips that you, as a parent, must pass along to your children. They are lessons that will be reinforced by their teachers during school lessons but there's a greater likelihood that they'll listen to you because you're their parent. A hygienist at a dental appointment may tell your child they will get cavities if they do not floss, but your child is more more likely to have your attention if you tell him or her they will be visiting a dentist office soon if they don't properly care for their teeth.

As a parent it's also your responsibility to set an example for your children. So if you tell them that they need to wear a helmet while riding their bikes then you need to wear one too. Or else they'll ask you why they have to wear a bike helmet and you don't. The standard pat response of, "Because I'm an adult," won't fly in that circumstance. Be as safe as you can in all aspects of your life. Wear bike helmets, get snow tires on your car, don't drive without wearing a seat belt, etc.

There's an old saying that goes like this: "stay safe, stay alive." Live by that mantra and you and your children will lead safe, healthy and long lives.