Shannon Philpott-Sanders

Keeping Toddlers Safe

Published October 2010: ParentUSAcity.com

Keeping Toddlers Safe

Article Overview:

Toddlers are constantly moving and exploring their surroundings, and it takes no time at all for a toddler to get into harm’s way.

There’s no hotter priority for parents than finding ways to prevent the unthinkable before it happens.

But the relationship between parent and child doesn’t have to be a constant struggle.

Article Excerpt:

As parents, we do our best to keep a close watch on our children. However, it is impossible to monitor a toddler’s every move, especially when that toddler is constantly on the move.

Melissa Finley, mother of 9-year-old Emily and 3-year-old Evan, learned that in less than five minutes a toddler can ultimately put himself in a life or death situation. “The unthinkable can happen,” Finley said. “I am so cautious with my children and it happened to me.”

Last summer, Finley found her 3-year-old floating in the backyard pool at her southern Illinois home, completely blue and unresponsive. “I went downstairs to fold laundry and the house seemed too quiet,” Finley said. “I got this weird feeling and asked Emily to check on her brother.”

Moments later, Finley heard her daughter scream as she jumped in the water to save her brother. Finley administered CPR, and Evan responded before the paramedics arrived. It was estimated that he had been in the water for approximately three minutes.

Even though the Finleys had a lock on the pool ladder, their curious and energetic 3-year-old found his way into the pool. Since the incident, Evan has recovered fully and the Finleys have installed a pool alarm that alerts both exterior and interior receivers. “If anything hits the water that weighs more than 15 pounds, the alarm goes off,” Finley said.

Read the full story here.

– Shannon Philpott

October 28, 2010 - Posted by sphilpott | Feature Stories, Magazine Writing, Sample Work | child dangers, child water safety, children, keeping toddlers safe, parenting, terrible twos, toddler safety