April showers definitely brought all the May flowers and got us all outside and raring to go. After a long winter in confinement, it’s easy to overlook a few necessary spring safety precautions. We wanted to use this week’s newsletter as a way to give you a few tools to keep you safe and healthy while you enjoy the outdoors.
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
They’re back! If there’s one good thing about a Maine winter, it’s that we get a reprieve from the insects, particularly everyone’s least favorite arachnid: ticks. Dog and deer ticks are everywhere this time of year, and all of them can carry some pretty nasty diseases. This article has lots of great resources to keep you and your kids tick-free while still enjoying that hike or picnic.
May is also skin cancer awareness month, so while you’re doing those tick checks, here are some other things to keep an eye out for, and ways to reduce your risk of contracting skin cancer.
May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
As the weather warms up, our thoughts turn to the water. This is when we are all getting ready to go canoeing, kayaking, boating, and swimming, so it’s an excellent time to also think about water safety. This time of year is particularly tricky as air temperatures climb into the 70s and 80s and it can be easy to forget just how cold water temps still are. You guessed it, May is also National Water Safety Month. There are lots of great resources here, and these safety tips will really help you keep all levels of swimmers safe around the pool or on the lake this summer.
May’s got the market on all the great spring activities as it’s also National Bike Month. Whether you’re coaxing a kiddo away from training wheels or considering taking on the Trek Across Maine, these smart cycling tips can help you get there. This week is also Global Road Safety Week. Follow the link for some great events sponsored by Bicycle Coalition of Maine including a bike rodeo for kids ages 4-10!
This pandemic spring also sees many families in the situation of having fully vaccinated adults with unvaccinated children. This can bring up a lot of questions about what is and is not a safe family activity at the moment. Check out this recent piece from the New York Times:
The Vaccinated Parent’s Guide to Life With Unvaccinated Kids
Have a fantastic week!
RSU 18 Messenger 