Every kid wants to explore the world and learn as much as possible about how everything works. They are curious and sometimes even mischievous. Kids aren’t always aware of the repercussions of their actions, which can sometimes be dangerous. They aren’t afraid of falling because they don’t know it will hurt or don’t care about the pain. All children want to have autonomy and do things because they want to. But, as all parents know, that’s no way to raise a kid.
But not even the parents aren’t always aware of how dangerous some things might be for your child. And sometimes, no matter how hard parents try, they can’t shelter their kids from everything. And, with so much pressure on them, it can be easy to give up and let your kid do whatever sometimes. As a parent, you know that saying no will result in a big fight.
Your kid will scream, cry, and yell to get what they want. And if we’re talking about candy, saying yes to your kid having some isn’t the end of the world. But some things can be so dangerous for your child that you should never let them do, no matter what.
5 Dangerous Things Never to Let Your Child Do
If you want to know the top five most dangerous things, keep reading.
1. Don’t Let Them Play With Whatever They Want (Some Toys Are Actually Dangerous)
Most new parents are pretty wary of what toys end up in their kids’ hands. But, as time passes, and the parents get more and more tired, that attention starts slipping. Instead of making sure they only play with safe toys, you might give them whatever they want just to shut them up. While that might be the easy way out, it’s perilous for a child. And, just giving them your phone whenever they are whining won’t teach them anything valuable.
When you leave your kid to their own devices, make sure there’s nothing around them that could harm them. Please don’t leave them alone with toys that use batteries, as they could swallow or choke on them. Earring and safety pins are commonly found lying around the house, but those are also dangerous. Any sharp objects, like pens and cutlery, while the kids might consider them fun toys, can be very harmful.
Just because your kid wants to play with your earrings or with one of your pens, it shouldn’t mean you should oblige them. Please don’t give them all they want because that’s the only way to teach them discipline. And, make sure you never leave anything dangerous around them or don’t encourage them to play with what they shouldn’t. Being careless as a parent and letting your child play with seemingly harmless household objects can be more harmful than you imagine. They might swallow particular objects, choke on them, and otherwise hurt themselves.
2. Don’t Let Them Play In The Dirt
Most older people remember when they were kids, and they always played outside in the dirt. And they might be inclined to want their children to have the same childhood. Playing in nature is fun, and it can be healthy for young kids. Especially in today’s society, where technology dominates everything, it is more important than ever to get kids to play outside.
But most parents let their kids play outside, maybe in the backyard, often unsupervised or without considering all the dangers. For example, most people know that living in older houses painted with lead is dangerous. But they seem to forget that barns or other constructions can contain lead. The second leading cause of lead poisoning is actually from the environment. Paint from garages, barns, and neighboring homes can peel and end up into the ground. And, because kids are curious, they might even eat dirt just because they aren’t aware of the dangers.
And that’s not all the dangers that come from dirt. Many bacteria are hiding down there, and that’s if you don’t consider the trash. Even if you know that your backyard is clean, that doesn’t mean you are safe from lead or other dangers. The best thing you can do if you want your kid to play outside is to monitor them.
And take that monitoring seriously. Don’t stay on your phone or get busy with something else while your kid is playing outside. Be present and be careful. If you think that you don’t have the time to monitor your child properly, it’s better to stay inside.
3. Don’t Let Them Spend Too Much Time In Front Of A Screen
One of the most dangerous things for children and parents alike is using technology for too many hours in a day. But parents are busier and busier in today’s context. Life is expensive, and usually, both parents have to work to support the family. And there are loads of single parents that have to struggle alone. For these busy parents, but even for the parents who have more time, it just might seem easier to put on some cartoons and get the kid entertained easily.
Kids learn that screens can be entertaining from a very young age. They always see their parents on their phones, so they start asking to play on the phone too. The parents are busy, and they don’t have money to hire a nanny, so they leave them alone with the TV playing. Not only does this hurt the kids’ physical health, but it also makes them distracted. The more time they spend on screens when they are complex, the harder it would be to live without their stimulation when they grow up.
It would be harder for them to study and read or even interact with people. And, if this screen addiction perseveres, and they start using social media without supervision, that can be even more dangerous. They become vulnerable to trolls, haters, and even predators. If you want to protect your kid, create a strict schedule for them. Let them use technology for just an hour or two a day, and monitor their use.
4. Don’t Allow Them To Be Disrespectful And Spoiled
Parenting is one of the hardest things to get right. And, every family has its own different needs, so every parent needs to act according to their kids’ needs. But that can get tiring quickly. Being a parent is a full-time job, and sometimes it just seems easier to say yes to whatever your kids ask for. Plus, parents love their kids so much that they want to give them anything they desire.
But this only spoils them and encourages them to be disrespectful. They need to learn from the beginning that they have to work for their wishes to come to fruition. Of course, as a parent, you will always make sure that they have all their needs covered. But that doesn’t mean you should let them bully you into getting them the latest model of shoes or whatever other whims they might have. It would help if you showed them that hard work and kindness are more important than having designer clothes.
If you allow them to be disrespectful, and if you spoil them, you won’t make them any favors. They’ll grow up to be entitled and lazy. But, if you teach them the value of goods and show them why discipline is essential, you will help them in the long term. They will become better, kinder, and more complex adults.
5. Don’t Let Them Keep Secrets (Some Can Be Dangerous)
Surely everyone has heard the phrase “it’s our little secret” at least once in their life. Maybe your parents told you that in hopes of getting some information out of you. Perhaps you heard that from a friend, a teacher, or a co-worker. But, most often, that phrase is used between family members. Your mom might buy you some candy, and she’ll tell you, “don’t tell dad about this. It’ll be our little secret”. For a parent, this seems harmless enough. It might just seem like you and your kid is bonding and having a little fun together.
In reality, all this does is encourage your child to keep secrets in their day-to-day life. They might start keeping secrets from you, from their teachers, from their peers. And being secretive is a very unhealthy behavior to have in life. But it’s incredibly harmful when it comes to the relationship between parents and kids. If your kid keeps secrets from you, they will end up keeping you at arm’s length. They won’t communicate with you or tell you what their needs are. They might even start lying to you about where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing.
If you want to be close to your kid, and help them when they get in trouble, teach them the importance of honesty. Get rid of the “it’s our little secret” mentality, and focus on being as open and transparent as possible.
Final Thoughts On Dangerous Things Never to Let Your Child Do
Kids are curious and energetic, and they often get into dangerous and absurd situations. As a parent, it’s hard to make sure your kid is always safe. You can’t work, do chores, and simultaneously make sure you always have an eye on the kids. Someone, they have to be alone for a few minutes. And, when they grow up, the kids will have to become more and more independent.
But still, parents need to keep their kids safe and keep them away from dangerous situations. No matter how tempting it might be to grant every their every wish, sometimes you need to say no. Don’t let them play with dangerous toys, and don’t try to entertain them by putting them in front of a screen the whole day. Be wary of letting kids play outside without supervision.
And most importantly, don’t spoil your kids and don’t teach them to lie. Please make an effort to discipline them when they need discipline and don’t get them everything they ask for. Teach them that they have to work for their wishes to come true. And, make sure you teach them how important saying the truth is if you want to make sure you can communicate with your kid.
