Summer's beginning means children will suddenly be in places we haven't seen them for months-on town streets and country roads, in parking lots and around the public parks that, for the majority of the fall, winter and spring, lay dormant.

Now there are bicycles, scooters, skates and just plain happy little feet everywhere, as they should be, since nothing says summer like a happy, free-spirited child.

Regrettably, some will on occasion dash out from between parked cars in pursuit of a ball or a buddy. Others will devise and enjoy complex games that bring them perilously close to the side of the road, while still others will disregard the dangers of the road while enjoying a summer's afternoon on a bicycle.

Some will look forward to a boat ride on one of the area lakes, rivers or creeks.

Please do your part to make sure this summer is a safe one for all children. Sign your children up for events like the Wildlife Commission Boating Safety classes or the Elizabethtown Bike Rodeo. Information about both these events can be found elsewhere in the Bladen Journal.

Teach them the rules of the road, and the rules of the water, and show them that you can have a fun summer and a safe summer at the same time.

Don't let this summer's fun be marred by a tragedy. Keep them safe, and let them grow some memories.

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