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CREATING SAFETY
By Lesley Matzopoulos
As love is the foundation of loving relationships, so care is the foundation of creating safety. Caring ensures that we go beyond appearing to do the right thing, to prioritising the safety of children.
REFLECTION
Safety can only exist when we feel life to be precious and sacred. When we do, we naturally have a deep desire to protect life. It seems to be a common attribute of the feminine to care. However, because not everyone shares this feeling it is necessary to ensure that we create a safety network of caring individuals to ensure that our children are not harmed.
Our commitment to mindfulness, thinking before we act, taking care to prevent injury or loss of life and collaborating with others must be ongoing if we are to protect the youngest and most vulnerable amongst us.
It is also important to learn to heed the little voice that says “that looks dangerous?”, which is often overridden by our mind re-assuring us that we can take care of the situation some other time. There is no time like the present for taking action to prevent injury from occurring later on.
You can make the world of difference by taking care of your world. Here are some guidelines.
AT HOME
Children at different ages are vulnerable to different kinds of injuries. Those under the age of 5 years are not capable of understanding the concept of danger and are particularly at risk.
Look in each room, asses it and organise it to make it safe. Make sure that all medicines, chemicals, household detergents, poisons, guns, and anything that looks dangerous is locked away.
What source of domestic energy do you use? Make sure plug sockets have a cover put over them and that paraffin is stored well out of reach of children. Paraffin is very poisonous and when ingested, as it fairly often is by small children, can result in pneumonia or in the case of one child I know of, death a couple of hours later. If you keep paraffin at home or in the garage or tool shed, keep it out of reach of children. Remember to keep candles, lighters and matches away too. Seek alternatives to products that contain toxins and opt for effective natural alternatives. Check your garden for poisonous plants, that pools are fenced and covered with nets that toddlers can’t crawl under, that drains are covered and any rubble in your garden or yard is removed. Stairs, high patios, driveways and yards should be gated, hot water cylinders set at the minimum temperature, gates installed so that toddlers have no access to driveways. The environment outside your home should also be assessed for potential dangers as well as any places you’re visiting or leaving your child in. Babies and children must always be attended by a trusted and responsible person.
In a family, various members may have greater or lesser responsibilities but each person has a responsibility. When that responsibility is recognised, identified and acted upon, the chance for safety increases. No one person, no matter how vigilant, caring or proactive can prevent the thoughtless and potentially dangerous action of another.
Make house rules and agree that everyone will remind everyone when the rules have been breached and put children at risk. Kettle cords should be tucked away, hot plates and pots put out of reach, no hot liquids near the baby or child.
Having discussions and getting everyone’s ideas about how to protect each other is essential. For example, what would you do in the event of a fire. Work out a safety drill and practice it. The idea is that we create a safety net in our families, communities and the world at large.
IN COMMUNITY
This attitude must extend outside the home and include how you or anyone else transports your child. Now that you’re safety aware, notice people who are not and share your awareness. Your home may be safe, but if your neighbourhood and schools isn’t your child is at risk there.
Do you need traffic calming in your neighbourhood, more pedestrian crossings or bridges, or changes made to the park in your area? Call your local councillor. Organise a safety day at school. Find out how children are transported to events outside school. Are there seatbelts, age appropriate restraints, roadworthy transport with experienced, licensed drivers?
Everyone is entitled to be an advocate and an activist when it comes to children’s safety. You don’t need permission and you don’t have to be an expert. What counts is that you care enough to put your time and energy there.
AT WORK
Examine the kind of work you do. Is there anything your company is doing that puts children at risk. Do your decisions impact on the health and lives of children. No matter what your position in the company if your company is not making good decisions they may not be properly informed or may simply be ignoring their responsibility. Find out who’s responsibility it is to handle the issue and make sure that action is taken. If it isn’t, inform the board and ask them to take the necessary action. No-one has the right to infringe the rights of others, and we all have a right to safety. These days’ individuals as well as the company can be sued for compromising the safety of people and the environment. This is an unnecessary waste of time, energy and resources. Make sure your company or government department is aware, informed and takes the necessary action to ensure that children are considered, looked after and protected.
JOIN THE CHILDREN’S SAFETY NETWORK
The idea for a Children’s Safety Network is one I hope everyone will take ownership of. When we share information and come together with others in our lives to organise safety we are creating a children’s safety network.
Share safety information with your employer, if you’re a domestic worker, or with your domestic worker, if you’re an employer. Share the information with your friends, family and community.
When we are physically damaged and emotionally traumatised through pain and suffering we have no choice but to accept what has happened to us, learn whatever lessons we are called to and do the best we can to bear the burden. Many people have not only survived but overcome terrible disabilities to shine in their area of endeavour. Many have found their purpose in life and have been called to share their lessons with us. But if we have a choice for ourselves, it is that we spare ourselves the trauma of witnessing our children’s suffering, especially if it could have been prevented.
Our success as humanity should be measured by the well being, health and vitality of our children. Our failure to pay attention can be witnessed in the thousands of children damaged or killed by the products of our hasty and expedient life styles, business practices and poor governance. We can only transform when we each take personal responsibility for doing what we can and must. The more people within families, communities, business, non government and government organisations that make a commitment and take action, the more rapidly we will create a safe South Africa.
Lesley Matzopoulos is the mother of 20 year old Aaron and 1 year old Sofia. She has worked in child safety for 10 years and is the Executive Director for Khusela Abantwana Safe Kids South Africa (www.safekidsworldwide.org) . Lesley has also developed the Mahakala Destiny Cards and Game which promote mindfulness and reflection. The cards are available from leading bookshops countrywide. Call Lesley on 021 686 0687 for further information or go to www.mahakala-destiny.org
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