RAISING children is a minefield, with a lot of pressure to "get it right" and worry about your little ones safety.
The age of five is a big one as they're settling into primary school and hitting some key milestones in their emotional development.
It's also the best opportunity to give your child a little more responsibility.
Now don't worry – we're not talking about a mortgage or their first business – just a few key tips that will help to keep them safe and happy.
By the age of five children are more and more able to understand why safety measures are needed and the potential consequences of ignoring them.
Speaking to PureWow, paediatrician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatrics, Dr Christina Johns shared the five key things every five-year-old should know.
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Basic personal information
Kids should by now know their full name and the full names of their parents or guardian.
They should also be able to recite their address and ideally a phone number that someone could call to reach their parents.
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Dr Christina said: "One way to teach this is to create a song that puts their phone number and address to a tune.
"We all learned the alphabet through a song and it stuck with us forever, right?! Using a melody kids already know will help them not only learn but remember the important details."
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Action plan when lost
Children are great at sensing danger but we need to make sure they know how to find "safe strangers".
Dr Christina said: "If a child gets lost or separated from their parent or guardian, they should look for 'another mommy or daddy' with a child or children and ask them for help."
If they can't find one, the next best thing would be to find someone in uniform.
Not to answer the door
Even though the door and doorbell are a great source of fun for children, they need to learn proper boundaries.
This means being sure not to open the door themselves but to get a grown-up as it could be a stranger on the other side of the door.
Dr Christina said: "Going over the 'why' behind this rule can help with their comprehension and their ability to remember to put it into practice."
Simple chores
Children often want to help their parents with tasks in the kitchen and around the house.
Around five years old is when it's great to let them chip in.
Dr Christina said: "It’s great to get your kids involved in chores and give them a 'job' so they can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when completing a task. However, it’s important they know boundaries."
She explained that jobs like setting the table are great, but they should understand that an adult will step in when it comes to handling the knives.
To call 999 in an emergency
Understanding how and when to dial 999 is vital for children.
You need to be sure that your child knows how to pick up a phone and to dial the number if it's ever needed.
You can do this by physically showing them the process on your mobile or landline.
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Dr Christina said: "You should also talk through very simple, clear scenarios in which calling 911 would be warranted so that they understand when it is necessary.
"Use specifics in your examples, such as, 'if you’re at grandma’s and she falls and isn’t answering you if you ask if she’s okay, what should you do?'"
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