Child's play with fire
Why do fires occur due to children's play with fire? Examining each case of a child's death, one understands that ordinary life circumstances accompanied the tragedies – parents went to work, to the store, to neighbors, or were busy with household chores in the yard. In other words, children were left unsupervised. And then comes the irreparable and cruel result of parental negligence: the death of a child.
Children often imitate the actions and behaviors of adults in their play. The desire for independence is especially pronounced when a child is left alone. And one cannot be sure that a child, left alone at home, will not decide to play with a box of matches, will not want to set paper on fire, or will not be interested in the operation of household appliances, which are plentiful in every apartment.
Therefore, before leaving home, it is necessary to assign supervision of the child to older children or to an adult. To keep the child from getting bored, it is advisable to give them some task: suggest a game theme, select the necessary toys. It is especially dangerous to leave children alone in locked apartments or rooms. In case of a fire, they will not be able to exit the burning premises on their own. Moreover, when escaping from fire and smoke, children usually hide in closets, under beds, tables, and in corners of rooms. Finding children in a fire development situation is a difficult task.
Skills for careful handling of fire must be instilled in children starting from the age of 4-5. It is important to strive for the child to understand that matches are not toys and fire is not a joke, so that they develop an impression of fire as a serious disaster for people.
Preschool and younger school-age children, especially boys, love to use matches and flammable objects in their games. Children lack life experience, and therefore they cannot foresee the consequences of their actions. The most common games among children are those involving making fires. They choose appropriate places for making fires – away from parental eyes – in attics, sheds, basements, and outbuildings, near haystacks. While the fire is small, the child observes what is happening; as soon as the fire takes on frightening proportions, which happens within a few minutes, the natural reaction is fear, followed by the urge to hide. Fearing parental anger and punishment, some children run away and hide elsewhere. Most, however, cover their faces with their hands out of fear and remain forever trapped in the flames.
Children suffer from fire due to their unpreparedness. A child does not know how to behave in case of a fire, how to act, whom to ask for help, and most importantly, how to save themselves. And in this, adults are primarily to blame. Proper upbringing of children in the family, instilling in them skills for careful handling of fire, and organizing their leisure time are the keys to preventing fires and avoiding child injuries. Children need to be taught the rules of safe handling of fire, not just told what is allowed and what is not. Unfortunately, in families, teaching children fire safety measures is often limited to prohibitive shouts: "Don't touch the matches, put the box back!", "Don't turn on the electric stove!", "Don't go near the gas stove!". Yet children naturally have to use gas and electric stoves, and other electrical appliances (televisions, irons, etc.) in their daily lives, which can cause fires. Therefore, when communicating with children, the emphasis should be on explanations rather than prohibitions.
Where and how a child spends their leisure time, who they befriend, and what games they engage in – these questions should be a constant concern for parents.
Instilling a sense of personal safety in a child should be done with a sense of measure. Conversations on these topics should be conducted in a friendly manner. Education will not be in vain if the peculiarities of child psychology and individual characteristics of the child are taken into account, explaining and demonstrating through examples, games, films (animated films), pictures, and real-life situations.
Explain the purpose of each device, how to use it correctly, and what safety precautions to observe. Tell them that improper use of this device can cause a fire.
Once again, we draw parents' attention to the fact that children should not just be "protected from fire": do not leave them alone without supervision, do not allow them to play with matches and electrical appliances. It is necessary to teach children the rules for handling sources of fire and actions in case of a fire.
Measures to prevent fires from children's play: do not leave matches, lighters, and allow children to buy matches or cigarettes in plain sight. Monitor how children spend their time and do not leave them unsupervised. Do not trust small children to observe burning stoves and heating appliances, or to use gas appliances. Teach your child your home address and phone number so that they can call for help from the rescue service if necessary. Near the phone, write down the emergency service numbers on a piece of paper, and explain to the child under what circumstances they can be used.
Dear parents! Take care of your children – try to organize their leisure time, especially during the summer period. Teach them the rules of safe behavior. Children should have a happy childhood! And you are primarily responsible for that.