Here we are again, at the beginning of another school year. A new school year means cool weather, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If you think it’s too early for the holidays, then why have all the retailers already put up their fall decorations?

Holidays are always special in many different households across this country. But now that school is back in session, parents need to have “the talk” with their children. No, I’m not talking about birth control or raging hormones. As far as that talk goes, you can save it for another day. Today, I’d like to concentrate on protecting your children.

Unfortunately, school shootings have become a conversation no one wants to have with their children. For instance, my 9-year-old grandson has told me he’s afraid a lunatic will shoot up his school. He told me about their shooting drills. He asked if we had those when I was a child. I told him that school shootings didn’t happen during the 1970s and 1980s. We had tornado drills and that was it.

However, I told him that “stranger danger” was prevalent when I was a kid. In our schools, police officers used to visit us and teach us to avoid strangers and not get lured in by candy or requests to find missing animals.

Let’s face it: the world isn’t a safe place. Children are naïve and gullible. Also, they have a tendency to trust people when they shouldn’t. Your job as a parent is to ensure your kids are aware of their surroundings and that they don’t speak to strangers. Please share this list with your school-aged children.

1. Make sure your children know their routes

If your children walk to school or a bus stop, make sure they know the route and walk it with them. If they need to cross a street, make sure they know to look both ways before entering traffic. Never assume young children know anything. It’s better to show them where to go and how to get there safely.

2. Make sure your child has a current ID

Your child has grown since the last school year. Make sure their identification card is up-to-date.

3. Travel in packs

Whenever my boys were little, I walked them to the bus stop and then waited with them until their bus arrived. Moreover, I got to know other parents, so we all looked out for each other’s children.

4. Keep open lines of communication with your child’s school

Make sure you always have the school’s contact information handy. You may want to ask your teachers for their emails and cellphone numbers. Their teachers can reach out to you immediately if anything happens to your child. Maintain open communication with teachers. Take an active role in your child’s education. This is a good way for you to find out what they are learning and how they are doing academically.

5. After school hours

Your children may come home to an empty house when they return from school. Make sure they know to keep the doors locked, not to open them to anyone, and how to contact you if there is a problem at home. Also, keep guns and dangerous items away from your children. Unfortunately, many children have died after finding a loaded gun and accidentally shooting themselves or a sibling. Don’t let this happen in your home.

6. Avoid distractions

It is no secret that kids are addicted to social media and their music. When walking to or from home, school or the bus stop, they should keep their headphones and electronics in their bookbags or pockets. They need to focus on their surroundings and be aware of strangers and oncoming traffic. Parents know how easily their children can become distracted. I can’t count how many times I have seen inattentive children step in front of a moving vehicle.

7. Stranger danger

Parents especially love their children’s innocence. It is their belief that Santa Claus exists, and they believe the world is safe and beautiful. Unfortunately, we know that’s not true. The world is full of predators waiting to harm your children. Your children need to understand stranger danger, so make sure you talk to them about it. It is important for them to know not to take rides from strangers or even speak to someone they don’t know. Tell them it is okay to run away or seek help from another adult if they feel threatened.

8. Responding to an emergency

In case of an emergency, make sure your child knows how to dial 911.

9. Safety signs and awareness

Make sure your children understand safety signs such as stop signs and to cross the roads at school crossing signs. Once again, make sure they are paying attention to what’s around them. The tendency of a child to become distracted makes it easy for them to ignore oncoming traffic or strangers in their vicinity. There are many inconsiderate drivers who go through school bus stop signs after the bus has stopped. Children should always be made aware of these drivers.

I encourage parents to review this list and have conversations with their children about their safety. Our society has too many people who do not care about the welfare of our children. You have to be vigilant as a parent and protect your child at all costs. Keep your kids safe this school year and may they all have an amazing year filled with much learning and fun!

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.