Playing with Fire
At some point in their development, most children become fascinated by fire. They want to light candles, strike matches and play with cigarette lighters. Around this time, some may begin to play secretly with fire on their own, even though they know that what they’re doing is forbidden and potentially hazardous. When parents discover a child has been playing with fire, it worries them, and not knowing what to do next results in them scolding or threatening punishment if the behaviour continues. There are, however, better ways of dealing with the problem.
The Queensland Method
Children playing with fire always represents a hazard but especially so in countries where the risk of forest fires is high. In Queensland, Australia, the Fire Department’s Preventive Unit has developed an approach partially inspired by Kids’Skills for responding to children who play with fire.
In this method, a specially-trained fireman visits the child at home several times to explain the hazards associated with fire and teach them fire safety. Children learn, among other things, how to check fire alarms, how to draw up a detailed rescue plan for their home in case of fire, and how to use fire extinguishers and blankets, etc. The high point of the training program is an invitation for them to visit the local Fire Department where they are awarded a ‘Home Fire Safety Officer’ badge and certificate as proof of their competence to teach the ABC of fire safety to members of their family and friends.
Children playing with fire always represents a hazard but especially so in countries where the risk of forest fires is high. In Queensland, Australia, the Fire Department’s Preventive Unit has developed an approach partially inspired by Kids’Skills for responding to children who play with fire.
Use a similar approach
If you have caught your child playing with fire more than once, you can do something similar by applying the Kids’Skills steps. Start by deciding who should be your child’s fire safety coach. This should be an adult who is important to the child and someone they look up to. Training should consist of a number of special meetings at which the child is taught skills connected with fire safety. Once they have learned all the necessary skills, arrange a celebration event at which the child is given a certificate, tells everyone present what they have learned, and thanks their supporters.
Synopsis
If a child is playing with fire and the usual strategy of explaining to them how hazardous it is and forbidding them from doing it does not work, try an approach like the one described here. The goal is to redirect your child’s interest from fascination with fire to being knowledgeable about fire safety. Create your own fire safety training program and use the Kids’Skills steps to help them acquire the skills needed to be an expert in fire safety.
This article is owned by: Kids’Skills http://www.kidsskillsapp.com/
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