It would soon be summer and most of the “Can Dos” were looking forward to bike riding every day. Some of them had two wheelers and were good at riding a two wheel bike.  Others were still learning to ride a two-wheel bike.

No matter, thought Policewoman Paula they all need to to know how to be safe when bike riding.

After she thanked Miss Pat for having her, and greeted the “Can Dos” she talked to the children about how much fun bike riding can be if you follow the rules of bike riding and pay attention to what you are doing while riding.

Policewoman Paula spoke to the class about the following bike safety rules:

• Use a practice track to get really good at bike riding before you ride in the street. A practice area is where you to apply biking rules in a contained environment. A gym or playground with a flat, concrete area works well as a practice biking area.
• Obey traffic signs. Get to know what traffic sign means what and have a parent test you before you go out in traffic.
• Wear a helmet whenever you rid, no matter how short the ride, no matter how hot the day. Make sure your helmet fits well.  Your bike helmet should fit snugly without rocking from side to side. Helmet sizing pads help get the proper fit. The helmet should sit low on the forehead. It should only have about one to two finger-widths between the eyebrow and the helmet.
• Make sure the bike seat and handlebars are a proper height. You should be able to straddle the bar with both feet flat on the ground with about 2 inches of clearance.
• Check you bike each time before riding it for  loose chains, low tires, broken spokes and other possible bike dangers.

• When riding a bike in traffic:

• Ride in single file and in a straight line on the right-hand side of the road.
• Make sure your hands are always within reach of the hand brakes.
• Use hand signals when turning. For a left turn, put your left arm straight out and parallel to the road. For a right turn, bend the elbow of your left arm so that your forearm and biceps form a 90-degree angle.
• Keep an eye out for potholes, sewer grates, uneven pavement, and soft shoulders. Warn riders behind you by calling out these dangers.
• Never ride with both hands off the handlebars.
• When biking, don’t wear headphones (they muffle the sound of approaching vehicles) or pants with flared cuffs (they can get caught in the bicycle’s chain).
• No night riding; you are 3x more at risk of having an accident at night.

Coach Campbell visited the “Can Do” Kids classroom to encourage each “Can Do” to take up a sport if they didn’t already play a sport.

He began by going around the room and asking each “Can Do” what sport they played or would like to play. Then he talked about a sport they could play through the school athletics program and what sport they might like to try that the recreation center sponsored.

Some of the kids said they played softball. Others said they played soccer. Some didn’t play any sports, but said they would like to learn about different sports in the hopes they would learn about a sport that would interest them.

Coach Campbell put a matching game up on the computers and asked the “Can Dos” to each sit at his or her computer and see each one of them could match the picture to the name of the sport.

The “Can Dos” were so surprised to see that there was a sport or two, or three or four that they didn’t recognize.

Go see if there is a sport or two you don’t recognize. Just go to the “Can Do” Club House, choose games, choose sports and see how you do.

She began by talking about boys and girls and adults that care about others and their communities. She told the class that children and adults who care are practicing a behavior important to being good citizens.

To help the children understand, she asked each student to think about what he or she would do if …Why not play along with the “Can Dos” and think about what you would do.

• A boy in the cafeteria fell.  A) Would you help him up, even if it meant losing your place on line to get food? B)  Would you hope someone else would help so you wouldn’t lose your place on line?
•  One of your classmates has a bloody nose. A) Would you turn away because the sight of blood makes you sick? B) Would you give him or her a tissue and get the teacher’s attention?
• You go to the movies with a few friends, one of whom uses a wheelchair. Everyone want to sit up front, but you friend has to sit in the handicapped accessible section. A) Would you sit in the wheelchair section with your friend? B) would you sit up front and tell your friend who uses a wheelchair you’ll see him after the movie because you think he is used to sitting by himself and won’t mind?
• You borrowed your friend’s ruler; you broke it. A) Would you give it back broken and say you’re sorry? B) Would you buy a new ruler, give it to your friend and explain that you broke the ruler he gave you?
• While you were at a friend’s house, it got cold out. Your friend gave you a jacket to wear home. On the way home, a car splashed muddy water on you and got the jacket dirty. A) Would you wash the jacket before you gave it back? B) Would you give it back dirty and explain to your friend what happened?

Why not talk about your answers about you would do with your parent or teacher?

Yup, it is time to think about what to get or make for mom for Mother’s Day. Sunday, the 13th of May, Mother’s Day, is only a week away.

So, if you haven’t thought of what to make or do…time to get busy!

Here are some of the things the “Can Do” Kids are doing for Mothers Day. Maybe you will get an idea about what you want to do about Mother’s Day for your mom.

• Nellie and Willie are looking forward to having their mom home on leave from the military. They’ve decorated the house with welcome home signs. On Mother’s Day, with the help of Grandma Hattie, they are going to surprise their mom with breakfast in bed.
• Orrie wrote a poem about what his mom means to him and will put it on her dish at breakfast.
• Hector wrote an”I promise” list to his mom. In it he promises to do extra chores around the house for a week as his Mother’s Day gift.
• Maria made he mom a necklace in jewelry class at the community center.
• Yundi and Wendy made cookies with Grandma Sue’s help to give to their mom.
• Mickey is going to give his mom a rose.
• Bobby saved up money he got for helping Grandpa John clean up the cellar. He is going to buy his mom a box of her favorite candy.

Did this help deciding what you are going to do for your mom on Mother’s Day?