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8 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2007 ????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ????? ???????????????????????????? 16 Mill Street East, Acton ON L7J 1G9 Tel: (519)853-9555 Fax:(519)853-9555 Email: actonbia@aztec-net.com Web: www.dowtownacton.ca DOWNTOWN ACTON Please Drive Safe ???? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ??????????????????? ??????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ??????? ????????????? ???????? ??????????????????????????? ????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?? ?????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ????????????????? ?????????????????????? ??????????? ???????????????????????????? 137 MILL ST. E. ACTON 519-853-0620 PLEASE DRIVE SAFE ?????? ???????? ??? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????? ??????????????? ???? ?? ?????? ????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ?????? ????????????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ????? ??????????????? ????????????????? ????????????????? ???????? ??????? ????? ??? ???????????? ?????????????? ???????????????????? ??????? ???????????????????? ??????????? ???????? We love our children Please Drive Safely! 119 Mill St. E., Acton (519) 853-5066 Watch for kids Three words have been known to elicit very different responses in households over the years: Back to school. While exhausted parents no doubt greet those words with much excitement, trepidation is most often the response of children. For children, the back-to- school blues are instantly associated with waking up early, homework and struc- ture, a far cry from the sleep-in, stay-up-late, care- free days of summer. While readjusting to school days can be tough for parents and children alike, there are ways to make that inevitable return to school a little easier on all parties. * Get a small head start. Though kids might not be too appreciative, having children go to bed earlier and wake up earlier in the days leading up to the first day of school will make it a lot easier to do so once school starts. Parents, too, should get in on things, breaking from their own sum- mertime routines a few days before school starts. * The best laid plans... Even the most detail-oriented par- ent can have plans go awry. For parents of children who are new to a school or new to school entirely, make sure to learn bus schedules or what traffic is like if youre going to be driving your child to school every day. Getting off on the right foot, particularly if your child will be attend- ing a new school, is a good first step, so establishing a morning routine beforehand is important. At least for the first day when things can be a little too hectic, have your child prepare an outfit the night before. Choosing what to wear on the first day of school can be a long and drawn-out process for some kids, meaning its better off done the night before than the morning of the first day. *Speak about a new school. Many children have anxiety about the first day of school. Thats especially true of children who are starting in a new school. In such sce- narios, parents should talk to their kids beforehand, asking them what theyre excited about and what they might be anxious about. In the days leading up to the first day of school, talk to children and let them know what they have to look forward to at their new school. Focusing on the positives as opposed to any negatives will likely make kids excited to go to school and should make the first day go a lot more smoothly. *Give them some work to do. Getting kids to do homework can be one of the more difficult back-to- school adjustments to make. Throughout summer, chil- dren grow accustomed to spending most of their time at home pursuing leisure, like watching television, or play- ing in the yard or elsewhere. Children can find it hard to give up such leisure time to do homework instead. To combat this problem and make sure your kids start off strong this school year, give them some work before school starts, such as reading a book or even something like writing a journal. Doing so when the weather is nice will get them acclimated to mak- ing the same sacrifice once the work starts piling up the first few weeks of school. Schools start next Tuesday (Septem- ber 5) and school buses will be picking up and dropping off students. Police are reminding drivers they must stop for school buses when signal lights are flashing. Every year, police receive numer- ous reports of school buses being unlawfully overtaken by motorists, says a OPP media relations officer. When a school bus is stopped driv- ers are obliged to follow these rules: 175 (11) Every driver or street car operator, when meeting on a high- way, other than a highway with a median strip, a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing, shall stop before reaching the bus and shall not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead red signal-lights have stopped flashing. 175 (12) Every driver or street car operator on a highway, when approaching from the rear a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing, shall stop at least twenty metres before reaching the bus and shall not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead red signal-lights have stopped flashing. Some drivers are confused about when they must stop. Overhead school bus lights are activated when the driver is about to stop. This warns drivers of the impending stop and gives them an opportunity to stop safely, much like the role of an amber traffic signal. They break the law when they pass a stopped school bus with overhead lights activated. The most common reasons for passing stopped buses seems to be inattention, excessive speed and ignorance of the law with respect to multiple lane situations, says the OPP. Whenever a school bus is passed children are placed in harms way so drivers can expect to be charged regardless of their excuse. Like- wise, if their actions ever resulted in the death of a child, an excuse would probably do little to clear their conscience! Remember, pay at- tention and watch for school buses! Fall may bring cooler temperatures, but that will never stop kids from play- ing outdoors, whether it be riding bikes, jumping in the leaves or tossing a baseball. These early eve- ning hours are a dangerous time for children. Nearly half of traffic-related child pedestrian deaths occurred after school from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in 2001, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign. These daunting statistics are attributed to the fact that kids cant always judge speed, space and distance. Such capacities are beyond their control - these senses dont develop fully until age 10. Thats why children under 10 years old should never cross the street by themselves. Make it a point to teach kids the rules of the road. Teach them how to obey traffic signals. Tell them to stop and cross the street at corners and crosswalks, and not to enter the street from between parked cars or from behind bushes or shrubs. Tell kids to look in both directions twice before crossing the street. They should make eye contact with drivers before cross- ing the street - just because they can see a driver doesnt mean he can see them. Prohibit play in drive- ways, streets, parking lots and unfenced yards adjacent to streets. A high number of children from birth to age 2 suffer nontraffic-related pedestrian injuries in places like driveways, parking lots and sidewalks. Teaching your kids these tips can help reduce unnec- essary accidents and keep them doing what kids love to do - playing outside. Back to school can also mean minor adjustments to lifestyle The kids are Back to School Remember to stop for school buses Early evening hours are dangerous Carefree children oblivious to dangers These messages are brought by these concerned advertisers These messages are brought by these concerned advertisers ?????? ???? ??????? ???????????? ?????????????????????? ??????????? 519-853-8333 340 Queen St. (Directly behind Prosperity one- Credit union) Student Lunch Specials Daily Pre-made lunch boxes Please drive carefully this fall! Ron Henry BARRISTER & SOLICITOR 67 Mill Street East, Acton 853-1160 & 27 Cork St. Guelph Drive safe Serving the Community for over 30 Years FIRST DAY: A Young student skips up the sidewalk to the first day of a new school year at Mackenzie-Smith Bennett. - Matthew Reid photo