Every time you want to say “Be Careful!” see it as an opportunity to help your child foster greater awareness of their environment and their bodies. Try saying: Notice how . . . these rocks are slippery, the log is rotten, that branch is strong. Do you see . . . the poison ivy, your friends nearby? Try moving . . . your feet slowly, carefully, quickly, strongly. Try using your . . . hands, feet, arms, legs. Can you hear . . . the rushing water, the singing birds, the wind? Do you feel . . . stable on that rock, the heat from the fire? Are you feeling . . . scared, excited, tired, safe?
