Watch for kids over the summer

Think back to when you were a kid, and to the magic that the long-awaited summer holiday represented.

Are you old enough to remember the line, "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks"?

This is the first of a number of big weeks for local youngsters, during which a lot of them will be out and about all day, rather than confined in school. It's great for them, but alas, with this new found freedom might come a bit of carelessness, especially when it comes to playing near the road, riding bikes or maybe walking to a local park or store.

Wasn't that sometimes the case when you were a kid? As we so often hear, some things never change.

Now any parent worth his or her salt will make a point of lecturing their kids on the importance of safety during summer activities, be it near the road, water or even the home.

And they are able to enforce the rules when they're around, such as making sure they don't get too close to water, or making sure they are properly equipped with life jackets if they are going out in a boat. It's actually a good idea for adults to wear them too, both as an example to the younger crew, but also as a means of making sure they're able to help in the event of trouble.

But kids, being kids, sometimes forget about thesafety rules, especially as they are basking in their freedom.

So it falls to us older folks to be more watchful, especially when we're driving, and in particular, when we are driving around places where unsupervised children might be hanging around. We're obligated to remember the rules, just in case they forget.

It's really not too much to ask. Remember when you were that age, and how great it was to be free of school for a couple of months. In those days, there were many adults who were watching out for us. Maybe this is our time to return the favour.