Summer is finally here! And this is a good time to go over safety rules for kids. Every kid, no matter what his or her skin tone, should be wearing sunscreen when playing outside. Hats and/or sunglasses can protect kids’ eyes and skin – don’t forget to protect little ears!

It’s really important to go over swimming safety now. If the child is a swimmer in the parents’ eyes, then the au pair must be watching him or her all the time – no texting or chatting with friends. If the child isn’t a swimmer, the au pair needs to be within ARM’S REACH at all times when they are in the water. Oh, and don’t forget to reapply sunscreen after swimming!

Bike helmets are another huge safety requirement. They dramatically reduce the possibility of serious injury or death. Adults need to model this behavior by always wearing a helmet when biking – our brains are important too! Kids shouldn’t get the idea that helmets are ‘only for babies.’

Summer schedule changes need to be discussed now too. Kids are out of school and need supervision – but the rules for au pair working hours remain the same.

Summer in the Twin Cities is amazing – one of the reasons people live here. Get out there (safely!) and enjoy it before the snow flies again!