Children often think of the darnedest things to get themselves into. It could be to see what happens when they put a fork in the electrical outlet. It could even be to see how fast they can light every match in a matchbook. Regardless of what they get themselves into, they are not going to know how to stay safe unless we teach them the necessary facts about fire safety.
I heard a story from a friend who, as a 7 year old, became rather curious about the flammability of a single piece of facial tissue. Much to his surprise, and horror, the tissue was very flammable. So much so, in fact, that upon dropping the quickly burning piece of tissue paper, a hole was burned into the carpet of his bedroom. He was not found out until nearly two years later, because he had covered the affected area with a garbage can. Luckily, no serious harm was caused, but you can see how it could have been so much worse.
Sometimes, kids will take to exploring the garage, and they can come across flammable liquids. In situations like these, your children or the children in your life need to know how to conduct themselves safely. This isn’t just to give them a set of rules to follow. Teaching children the right way to behave around fire and flammable substances will save not only their own life, but also the lives of everyone around them. Spend some time with your kids teaching them proper fire techniques.
Finally, make it a fun thing. If there is anything adults should know, there is nothing so rebellion inducing as orders from an adult. Rather than dictating to them, help them to understand why fire safety is important to them personally and to those people and things they hold dear.
