Ok mom and dad. It is time to refresh the kids on what the buddy system is.

As summer gets off to a fresh start. Kids are out playing in the yards and riding their bikes. The parks are drying out and the kids are beginning to congregate for baseball and play time.

It is all part of the nice weather and the newness of the grass and flowers. It makes you feel good to look out and see color. Instead of snow.

With all the good stuff summer brings. It also brings some bad stuff with it too. Thinking about people harming other people just takes the fun out of life. But it happens so we must take a few precautions to keep our kids safe and having fun.

One of the best ways to stay safe is to be on the buddy system. Which just means when you ride your bike, or go to the park, or play out side you make sure you have a friend with you at all times.

It could be a friend or a sibling. It does not matter who the person is....as long as both of you keep a good eye on each other.

Always tell mom and dad where you are going. Leave them a note with a phone number. Call mom or dad and let them know when you are heading home or leaving one friends house and going to anothers.

Leaving a note is always a good thing.
It is all part of being responsible for who you are and what you do.

It's not something we ask kids to do just because we are bored and want to keep tabs on them. It is something we do because we want to know where to look first if there is an emergency.

Mom and Dad it also helps to make a mental note of what your kids have on. The color of the top and the pants. A hat or tennis shoes.

I know the first time my daughter ran away it taught me a lesson. I could not tell the cops what she had on. I had not looked past the point of appropriateness. If it covered her body it was ok.

Now I make mental notes of all this stuff each day.
Now I can answer those little questions and not feel like a complete idiot for not knowing what my child is wearing.

So little things like the Buddy System for summer safety is a great idea. Use wisdom and be safe.