Top Tips

Whether it’s in motorboats, sailboats, kayaks or canoes, there’s a good chance most of us will be hanging out in some kind of boat this spring or summer. After all, it’s one of the best ways for family and friends to spend time together and experience the freedom that comes from cruising on lakes, rivers and oceans.

My family has always been large, but in the last few years we’ve grown significantly as my generation has made the transition from being the kids to being the parents. This just makes our time together even more enjoyable especially when we head to one of our favorite places: the beach.  

Every spring, weather nerds like me wait anxiously for cold air from Canada to collide with the warm air rising out of the Gulf of Mexico. And like clockwork, we watch mesocyclones (big thunderstorms to most people) build and build until they drop one of nature’s most deadly events, the tornado.

I still remember getting my first bike. It was a lovely fall day, and I was celebrating my 5th birthday at the local park when my parents wheeled it over. And it was beautiful – a light pink frame and white tires with a white basket on the front adorned with purple, blue and yellow daisies, and shimmering multicolored streamers flowing from the handlebars.

As the weather gets warmer, more kids will be playing outdoors and visiting playgrounds – running and jumping, climbing and swinging.

This week is National Playground Safety Week, so it’s the perfect time to review some safety tips and talk with your children about being safe while having fun on the playground.

One of the best parts of my job at Safe Kids is working with families who generously share their stories to inspire other parents to get involved. The following story is one of my favorites because it really shows what our work is all about – the little things you can do that can make a big difference.