Is Reading, Pennsylvania safe for children?
Reading, PA is one of the safest places in the United States for children, according to the 2019 Kidsafe Report Card. A child’s safety starts with a parent’s vigilance, but there are also certain things that parents can do to make sure their kids are safe while they’re playing outdoors.
The report, released by Kidsafe, is based on data collected from thousands of children’s hospitals, school nurses, and doctors across the country. According to the report, Reading was rated as “very safe” for children.
According to the report, Reading’s safety rating was determined by a number of factors, including the city’s crime rate, the percentage of schools that require children to wear uniforms, and the number of children who are bullied.
The report card also lists a few safety tips for children to follow while they are outside. Children should avoid playing in high traffic areas and keep away from any kind of water, which can be dangerous for young children. Parents should also make sure their children are aware of their surroundings, especially when it comes to strangers.
When it comes to weather, parents should always keep their children indoors when the temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Parents should also make sure their children have proper clothing, including sunscreen and a hat, when they are outside.
Another safety recommendation for parents is to make sure they teach their children how to swim. According to the report, drowning remains the leading cause of death for children under the age of 14.
Children who are taught to swim can avoid drowning, and parents can find free swimming lessons at local pools.
Should Reading, PA be safe for children?
It’s a question that parents ask themselves constantly, especially during the holiday season. What should I take my kids to see? Which amusement parks do they have to avoid? Where do they need to watch out for strangers?
The simple answer, of course, is that it depends on where you live. And that means deciding where to take your children. You might think you’re taking them to a safe neighborhood, but that’s not always the case. You don’t want your kids going to a restaurant with a high rate of food poisoning. And you certainly don’t want them visiting an amusement park that hasn’t passed muster with the CDC.
But should you worry about your kids while you’re away from home? No, probably not. But should you worry about where they are while you’re at home? Yes, absolutely.
When it comes to safety, the devil is in the details. There are a lot of things that can happen when you’re not around. Here are a few scenarios.
Kids in an unsupervised house
If you’re going to leave your kids at home, make sure there are adults around to supervise them. If you have a nanny or babysitter who is close by, that’s ideal. If not, you might consider hiring someone to check in on the kids for you. You’ll need to find a trustworthy person, though, since there are plenty of people out there who are willing to take advantage of a situation.
Kids in a car
If you leave your kids in the car while you go to the store or run an errand, you should probably be concerned. There are more than 100 heatstroke deaths each year in the United States, and the vast majority of those are caused by being left in hot cars. The temperature inside a car can reach as high as 140 degrees within 20 minutes.
Kids in an unlocked house
Unlocked houses are often a problem for burglars. They know that many homes leave doors and windows unlocked, so they try to break in when possible. The safest option is to keep your doors locked, and make sure your kids aren’t able to get into the house when you’re gone.
Kids alone in the house
There are a lot of dangers that kids face when they’re alone in the house. If you want to keep them safe, it’s important to make sure they stay in the safest place possible — and that means keeping them out of the kitchen. According to the CDC, the average kitchen is five degrees warmer than the rest of the house, and there are more than 600 child poisonings each year.
Kids who are on their own
If your kids are alone, they’re more likely to do something unsafe. For example, if they have a key to a neighbor’s house, they could unlock the door and enter an unsupervised home. Or they might go to a friend’s house and not tell their parents about it.
Children in an unsupervised playground
In addition to the risks associated with unsupervised houses, unsupervised playgrounds are also risky. Kids are often left alone in the playground to play by themselves, and they often end up getting hurt. The Playground Safety Institute reports that there are more than 2,300 playground injuries each year.
Of course, you’re never 100 percent safe. But you can help keep your kids safe by watching out for them. Take note of the places where they are, and if you see anything out of the ordinary, call your local authorities.