Raising children can be overwhelming, especially considering everything a child needs to learn to stay safe and healthy.
There are moments when children must be on their own or away from their parents, strengthening the importance of knowing how to stay safe by themselves.
Besides teaching them good eating and activity habits, you can also help them learn some essential health and safety habits. Doing these activities that promote safety together can be an excellent way for parents to teach children about how to inculcate safe habits. Having these tips in a book with relatable characters for the children helps even more.
After the successful launch of her first book ‘Kiddies Words of Affirmation,’ Doha-based Nigerian author Helen Ogbelade recently released another book for children, which she says stems from the urgency to fill a gap in children’s safety. With Ogbelade’s book now available in Alif Stores in Qatar and book fairs, she hopes to get it to schools in Qatar and Nigeria. “For this book, I saw something happen to the child of a popular musician, and I started thinking of how to write something about safety and kids, but I couldn’t decide what to call it,” Ogbelade, a work and environmental safety professional, said.
“So, I thought I’d write some words and see how it goes, which made me think, ‘Why not write an A-Z on safety?’ I did some research on Google and couldn’t find safety terminologies that covered A to Z. To my knowledge, nobody has written any safety terminologies covering the alphabet for kids,” she noted.
The book ‘Kiddies Safety: A-Z Health And Safety Tips For Kids’ was launched at the recent Doha International Book Fair. It follows the path of two female characters, Lily and Lucy, who represent the right and wrong of health and safety – one covers the hazards, and the other represents the solutions.
The book explains accidents that occur in the home, especially in the living areas and the kitchen. It also shows an analysis by the Safety Council on the percentage of children who suffer from food poisoning, falls and slips.
“The book contains the hazardous stuff for kids and the percentage at which they occur. Examples are cold and drowning, which kills a lot, especially drowning. So, every letter in the alphabet explains a hazard and a solution, and eventually, kids will learn through the graphics and stories how they have been crafted,” Ogbelade explained.
Besides the book’s impact at homes, it can also be added to schools’ learning materials and for teachers’ training, Ogbelade stressed. She said the classroom is also an extension of the home, making it possible to conduct teacher training with this book on handling kids safely.
“I write for kids, but I make sure it covers every aspect, including parents learning something from these books. So, when you are reading to your kids, it also helps to bond with your children.
“We get exposed to hazards daily but don’t know it’s a hazard. There are many examples, such as water on the floor, taking the appropriate medications, getting vaccinated, and many more. There are things we will learn from the book to ensure a safe environment to live in. Safety is not your own; it’s everybody’s responsibility,” Ogbelade added.
Speaking about being a publisher in Qatar, Ogbelade lauded the process and the support from publishing houses and the relevant authorities. “I did not face any challenge working here and being an author in Qatar. Everyone has been accommodating and has embraced me. They want to understand your journey, but my only issue is the language; I have to learn it,” she quipped.
