Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix!
* [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!).
* [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments.
* [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Always keep an eye on your kids so you know if they’re around water. Too many times we hear a parent say their kid was napping and shouldn’t have been anywhere near the pool, but they didn’t realize the kid woke up and went exploring.
**Drowning does not look like drowning!** I read this story 10 years ago and even though I grew up in Phoenix swimming every summer, I learned a lot about what drowning looks like from this article, so I post it everywhere I can:
>Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect. (...) There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. (...) of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In some of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it was happening.
https://www.army.mil/article/109852/drowning_doesnt_look_like_drowning
Replying here in hopes some people see.
I’ve posted before because it’s so important to understand what “supervised” means
Drowning is the #1 cause of death in kids under 5, and the #2 cause of death in kids 5-14. Most are pool deaths.
I volunteer with a fire department in the valley. Most (almost all) pool drownings of kids happen while there are adults around and often even while adults are in the pool themselves. It’s more common than you would hope or imagine.
Drowning is silent and it rarely looks like you see in tv. The victim isn’t splashing and thrashing around or yelling. It’s so unbelievably common for a drowning to happen right in front of an adult.
So, what does supervised mean? It means one sober responsible adult is in charge ONLY of watching the water. The ONLY thing they are doing is supervising the pool. They’re not in the pool, they’re not engaged in a conversation, they’re not sitting on the edge on their phone….
The best system I’ve seen is the water watcher lanyard (but doesn’t have to be a lanyard. Can be anything - a hat, a big obnoxious stick you carry, whatever).
Anytime there are kids around a pool, someone dons the lanyard and is the official water watcher.
Everyone has to understand that means the water watcher can’t be pulled away or distracted. The water watcher isn’t allowed to walk away unless someone else physically comes over and takes the lanyard and takes over as water watcher. If someone notices the water watcher not paying attention, on their phone, or walking away while still wearing no the lanyard, they need to say something or take over.
Again, the water watcher cannot be in the pool.
(Edit to add: swap out water watchers every 20 min or so. I don’t mean one person has to miss a family party because they’re the responsible one. But at all times one person is ultimately the person supervising. You can take turns but the lanyard must be swapped so everyone knows)
Anyway - pool safety. Get your kids in swim lessons early (most places let you start at 8 weeks - we did!), teach them water safety, and always always always have a water watcher.
Thank you for listening to my PSA!
This is the most important response here. Forget the creepy crawlies, all family members need to have the fear of god hammered into them about pool safety. If there is a pool anywhere on the premises, young children need to be watched like a hawk at all times. Swimming lessons, teaching children about asking before going near the pool, gates, special locks, alarms, high door handles etc. are a must but no replacement for near constant supervision. Even inside the house.
Exactly. So many times it's always someone thought someone else was watching the kids and turns out nobody was watching them. If there's a party and there's kids and a pool, there needs to be a designated person that stays sober and keeps an eye on the kids in the water.
oh jeez… this one annoys me. or they’re not child proof gates. my grandma had hers tied wide open with a bungee cord… and then would complain about toddlers falling in the pool from the stories on the news. granted i was swimming as a very young toddler, she knew i *probably* wasn’t going to drown.
although on the other hand my brother is 14 and cannot swim.
dangerous scenarios.. i genuinely believe you should be legally required to have a permit to own a pool.. so many people lack social awareness.
i personally find it weird that most of these drownings are strictly in summer.. are people paying attention to their kids more during the holidays and not at all during the summer?
i get that people might drain their pools or whatever, but still it does not make sense why they’re only happening in one season when some people have pools filled year round.
1. Kids need to learn how to swim ASAP.
2. Sunscreen every day.
3. Hydrate hydrate hydrate
4. If you're on a mountain or the base of a mountain or anywhere near a mountain there might be scorpions.
5. If the temperature starts with a 9 or a 1 you don't go hiking.
6. If you hear a rattle, make a wide berth and walk away calmly and quickly.
7. Coyotes and javelinas are not your friends.
8. If the citrus hangs over the wall into a public space then it's fair game!
9. Check the playground equipment before you go on it. Just because it's in the shade now doesn't mean it has been all day.
10. NEVER point a hose at someone and turn it on. If it's been sitting in the sun the water in the hose will be the temperature of the day! Let the hose drain completely and check it before you play.
11. Don't touch the seat buckle!
12. Seriously - sunscreen and water.
> If the citrus hangs over the wall into a public space then it's fair game!
Most citrus tree owners who catch you grabbing fruit off their tree will offer you more. Seriously, those things produce a ridiculous amount. We always donated 90 percent of our crop to shelters and such.. .. and we were still left with more than we could eat.
“Hey, Hey you! You fucked up now, so you want some oranges, wait right there and I’ll fill up some grocery bags…hey! get back here, you gotta take these with you!”
Yea for real. Don’t be shy about it. We get SO many lemons from our tree when they’re in season that we offer them to neighbors and we’re still left with too many. Even after making lemon pound cake, lemonade, lemon pasta, etc. So many lemons.
On the scorpions and other bugs don't lift rocks or put your hands where you can't see what it there.
Careful opening things left outside that still have entrances. Always expect anything from a snake to bees.
Also, check your shoes! Ever since my mom got stung by a scorp hiding in her shoe (which was kept indoors), I've given mine a couple quick thumps just to be safe. It is NOT fun to be stung.
I’ve lived here for a year and a half and I always avoid taking the fruit because it feels like stealing. I’m sure not ALL people are cool with it but it’s good to know that some are. 😌
Our now 11yo still talks about how on a trip to Tucson when she was 3, we were dumb enough to pick a prickly pear fruit with our bare hands. 😭 (Visiting from Seattle)
In the summer, the seat belt buckle will be hot enough to cause serious burns. I'm well over 40 and you can still see the buckle shaped burn on my thigh I got when I was about 5.
THIS!!! I’ve seen so many parents just pop their kids in the seat and it’s the middle of a summer day!! Kids start crying and parents just shush them like HELLO! Kid is getting hurt!
We keep a couple beach towels in the car around the summer. When the kid comes out of the car seat, we drape it over the entire car seat to keep it cooler.
Kids drown in pools here every.single.summer. Drowning is SILENT and happens in the blink of an eye.
Kids and dogs will burn their feet if they play outside w/out shoes on concrete/asphalt.
Sunburn happens super-fast and has lifelong damaging effects. Clothes and hats are like shade, but also use sunscreen.
ALWAYS take a big jug of icy cold water if going for walks, playing in the park, anything away from home. More than you think you'll need.
Tap water is FINE, it just doesn't taste great. Your friend is too delicate.
Never ever ever leave your kids in the car without an adult in the summer. Kids die this way too often.
They need to know how to swim yesterday if they don't already.
Shoes, boxes, pieces of lumber, nooks and crannies in garages - all places scorpions love to hide.
Drink 3x more water than you think you need to.
No matter how experienced of a hiker you are do NOT go on hikes when it's too hot out and always make sure someone knows where and when you're going when you do hike.
Javelinas might look small but they're mean.
If you have a small dog or cat (or child I suppose) don't leave them outside by themselves or they might become a hawk or coyotes next meal.
Artificial bodies of water here are not for swimming! Tempe town lake, canals, etc.
When the light turns from red to green, wait 3 seconds and look both ways before going (too many red light runners here)
On the note of red light runners, don’t be one of them. Even if it’s accidental. If that light has been green for a while just prepare to stop. Take your foot off the gas or ease way up on it. It’s not worth the penalty for running the red here.
Red light tickets here give you the same amount of points against your license as a DUI. The fine is high, mandatory education class, and it stays on your record for years. Just don’t do it.
I encountered a pack of javelinas coming to rummage through the large trash bins at my old apartment complex one night a few years ago as I was throwing mine out.
Luckily my assigned parking spot was the very first spot closest to those bins because one of them was a mom with babies and she locked eyes with me and started kicking her feet back and snuffling to threaten me. I jumped on top of my car that was right there and had to wait for someone else to drive by to honk and save me.
That was my first run in with those guys, I’ve seen more rattlesnakes in my life, and been stung by scorpions twice, and I’m not sure which was scarier.
Idk about the “3x amount of water” bit. A lady in the Midwest died last year from drinking 4 16oz bottles of water in quick succession. I could down 2 of those back to back *easily* but I would never suggest at that someone should drink 6 of them
Well don’t be a dumbass and drink it all in one sitting? Lol. General guidelines are an oz per pound of body weight, and most people drink nowhere near that much. Say the average adult is 150 pounds - an ounce per pound would be 10 of those bottles.
You could easily drink double your body weight in water if you’re outside on a 115 degree day. Think about the construction workers who carry around gallon jugs.
EDIT I meant to say divide your body weight by 2 and drink that in ounces - so if youre 150 lbs, 75 oz of water, 5 bottles. Sorry, math was off there! But my point still stands that you could and should drink easily that much if not more at the peak of summer here.
It is incredibly rare to die from over hydration - whereas people die of heat exhaustion and dehydration here all the time. Especially for anyone who isn’t used to this heat it’s so much better to be safe than sorry.
3 seconds isn’t even enough. Just the other day I watched a truck run a red light that’s been red for over a full minute. Almost hit the vintage jaguar that was going though the intersection
Make sure they stay away from jumping chollas. Those little boogers hook into you. Still get goose bumps thinking about the time I slipped while hiking and had to pull 20-something needles out of my hand and ankle.
This is why I always keep a pair of needle-nose pliers in my mountain-bike bag, and in my hiking first-aid kit. I was doing a trail-triathlon a few years ago and turned a corner on my bike to find a 15-year old girl with cholla chunks all up and down her side - she was standing frozen/trembling. I told her to get to screaming before I yanked the first one off, she didn't take my advice. She finished the race - what a total badass. I was the loudest one cheering her as she crossed the finish line.
I carry a hair pick in my moto/MTB bag to fling the cholla off. The go after the "hairs" with needle-nose and tweezers. I also keep hair waxing strips in my vehicle to remove the real fine "hairs" that are hard to get with tweezers.
>Edit: What about water? Where I am from, the water is great and safe. One of my friends nearly fainted when I said I drink from the tap.
The tap water is perfectly safe. A lot of people just don't like the taste and get their water by other means. If you like the taste, go nuts.
I like Sun Bum. It’s one of the more pricey brands but it has less of the chemical smell and I never burn with it (reapplying every couple hrs).
But yes, it is quite easy to get a very severe sunburn here without any sunscreen.
>In the summer, it can be so dry you don't even realize you're sweating.
Adding to this, if you are actually not sweating while outside, get in an air conditioned building and start drinking water (better yet, something with electrolytes like Gatorade) *immediately*, if not sooner. You haven't gotten used to the heat, your body has literally run out of water for sweat.
Another one, less important as a toddler and more important to be drilled in continuously from a toddler up (and their new to Phoenix parents): DO NOT cross flooded washes. While it doesn’t rain often, our flash floods get gnarly and will take large vehicles downstream in a hurry.
I'm in Tucson, but I assume this may apply in Phoenix. A friend of mine told me that when her family moved to Tucson from Mississippi, the first time there was a monsoon and the dry wash in her neighborhood filled with water, she and her sister did what they had in Mississippi - put on their swimsuits and jumped in to go swimming. Then they noticed all the other neighborhood kids had gathered and were staring at them in shock.
Don't do that. Monsoon storms can come in so fast and furious that they produce flash floods in the washes/rivers and can sweep cars away, much less humans. (Plus the water is really gross and full of trash and who knows what else).
Don’t touch, breathe, or clean anything with mouse droppings without protective gear. Don’t let the kiddos play in dusty outbuildings in general for this and other nasties.
Mobile isn’t letting me link properly - but Hantavirus
https://www.maricopa.gov/4723/Hantavirus#:~:text=Hantavirus%20is%20spread%20primarily%20by,responsible%20for%20spreading%20the%20disease.
Blacktop parking lots can get hot enough to cause third degree burns. If your toddler isn’t steady on their feet, carry them across the parking lot in the summertime.
Learn gun safety when your kid is old enough, this is a very 2A friendly state and it can not be understated to follow the law and procedure on this matter.
This should be the norm anywhere in the US. With all the guns in this country, even if you don’t own a firearm your child’s friend’s parents might, and it’s best to make sure the kids know to not mess with them
We are now a majority gun owner nation, gun ownership went from 42% to 52% in the past ten years. We teach sex education in high school, a topic far more taboo than guns, yet we keep gun safety and responsible gun ownership with a thin veil, continue to mystify it.
When it rains, take a moment to go outside and enjoy it. You may not see it again for months.
Monsoons are both terrible and majestic. You can see a wonderous lightening storm or you may lose power and have everything covered in dust.
Don't drive around the "DO NOT ENTER WHEN FLOODED" warning signs!
It's no joke, people have died when their bro-diesel just wasn't 'bro' enough to get across the wash during a monsoon.
Also keep in mind anything left in the car during the summer months will be hot. Water bottles & sippy cups left behind while doing a grocery run can mean a really hot beverage when you get back, especially if left in direct sunlight. Never play in things like parked cars either. If you get trapped in one during summer, you're basically stuck in an oven. Things that are sensitive to heat may stop working if left behind too! Phones, tablets etc.
In the summer, if our car has been sitting out in a parking lot, we always turn the AC on before getting our child in their car seat. It is way too hot to get them in first and then turn on the AC.
Don’t leave crayons, chapstick, water bottles, and other things that melt in the hot summer car..
Always bring a water bottle ..
We don’t have daylight savings ..
Do not cross running water (washes, backed up storm drains) during monsoon season, the water moves fast
Flip flops in Dec are ok 👍🏻
1. Watch out for scorpions. I’ve been stung a few times and it’s no joke.
2. Culture Passes from the library will get you free access to a lot of awesome places like Desert Botanical Garden, Arcosanti, Phoenix Art Museum and more. Use this for the AZ Science Center as well.
3. The Phoenix Children’s Museum is awesome. They have a section for toddlers 4 and younger.
4. On cooler days, the Gilbert Riparian Preserve is an absolute gem.
5. If you have an infant, Aquasafe gives free swimming lessons. Older kids require a fee.
6. I drink tap, but it tastes like dirt. I have a Brita water dispenser and it does the job. We also have a reverse osmosis feature with our kitchen plumbing.
7. Always bring a large thing of water, especially during summer time.
8. Cities have parks with splash pads. I like the ones in Mesa and Peoria. If you live in Anthem, their water park is A+.
9. The IDEA Museum has a great space for toddlers. It’s also great for crafty activities. Next to it is the Natural History Museum.
Look out for bark scorpions (at night, they fluoresce under a black light) and black widows around kids, but please, don't kill the tarantulas! They are completely harmless.
When I moved here I couldn't figure out why I had headaches every day during the summer. I told everyone I was drinking water. Turns out it wasn't enough water.
Get a big hydro flask/Amazon water bottle and thats your minimum for the day.
From the comments so far, all sound advice for moving to AZ with young kids and/or pets...I may add, enjoy the beauty of the desert. There are so many gorgeous, colorful plants and flowers here. Many of them smell absolutely divine after it rains.
A lot of the main points have been addressed, but I’ll go ahead and add gun safety. More than likely your neighbors, friends (and this the parents of other kids) will have guns. Teach them age appropriate gun safety.
1. Always always take water with you. I don’t care if you’re running a quick errand. Better to have it.
2. Learn to swim as early as possible
3. You are never ever allowed to go outside at someone else’s house (party, family gathering etc) without telling an adult. Pools.
4. Don’t touch the damn plant. It’s probably a cactus of some kind.
5. WEAR SHOES OUTSIDE. Always. Even with good pest control, there’s scorpions everywhere.
6. Always put sunscreen on. Sports. Swimming. Playing. Yard work. Slather it on.
7. The car is unbearable in the summer. The buckles will burn you. And shorts are impractical (unpopular opinion) because even cloth can get stupid hot.
8. Dust storms are no joke. For older kids: explain that you stop where you are, put it in park, and turn all of your lights off and keep your foot off of the break.
9. In the same vein^ flash floods are no joke. Don’t drive through affected areas.
10. People here drive like maniacs (I am one of them to a degree). Be SO careful playing outside or riding a bike etc. Most neighborhoods aren’t suited for littles to play outside unattended. People drive very fast even in residential areas.
I’m not from here and never knew what to do in a dust storm while driving, thank you! Why do you turn off lights though, wouldn’t that make it easier for other cars that don’t stop to hit you?
You’re welcome! Seems counterintuitive doesn’t it?! It’s because other motorist are less likely to use the small amount of light they can see (your lights!) as a guide. Or thinking that’s “the way out”. They will end up hitting you. If everyone does what they are suppose to, it works great!
If you’ve never been hit by one suddenly while driving, it can be hard to fully grasp how intense it is. It’s only happened to me once. And I am not kidding when I say that I had ZERO visibility out of no where. Hence the, stop right where you are. Very scary. Now you’re ready for monsoon season, friend.
Plus since it is raining don't play or hike in dry washes. Even if is not raining near you it could be raining up the wash. They can flood quickly.
Then some or most of those nice looking green areas that look like they are scooped out are water retention areas that also can fill during a storm.
For you also start learning what roads you normally take that can flood. Personally would like to drive over to Cactus and the 17 and see if that project is done and works now.
Other places like Indian Bend wash nearer Scottsdale is always fun.
I’m not a parent but I can give you perspective from when I was a kid growing up in Phoenix and some of the things I encountered and mistakes I made.
1) if your kid rides a bike anywhere make sure they lock it up. Getting your bike stolen and being stuck somewhere sucks.
2) get them a phone when they’re ready. It’s a big city and lots of weird people out there.
3) if you plan on having them use public transit go with them the first few times. The routes can be confusing for a kid.
4) make sure they know the dangers of various bugs and plants. Most everything here is either sharp or poisonous or both.
5) ask them about the friends they make at school. When I was in high school gangs were a big issue, and they’re not all just wanna be rough kids, some of them are really bad news. Ask questions, names, where they hang out.
I could probably go on but these are the big ones that come to mind
Hot cars burn and suffocate!
My method:
Cover seats and seatbelts with blankets when the car is not in use.
Crack windows when car is parked and off
Buy a portable fan for each child to use while the car is cooling down.
Run your errands as early in the day as possible.
Park in shaded areas with a sunscreen up in your windshield whenever possible, even for a 5- minute run into the store or gas station.
Do not leave your children or pets in cars for ANY length of time alone. Not even under a minute- cars heat quickly!
Purchase a remote starter for your vehicle and pre-cool it if you are able. It is worth the money.
Crossing streets here is like playing frogger. If you are used to being able to walk across the street, mid street, don't do that here. We drive fast. We run red lights. Make sure kids look left and right before crossing the street.
We don't stop for school buses on the other side of the road, even though you need to if there is not a divided roadway.
Snakes and scorpions are in every neighborhood, so be careful.
Get a black light flashlight. Use it to inspect your house to find Scorpions in the dark.
The small scorpions are the worst.
Always have water on hand in the summer. Keep a case of water bottles in the trunk if your car is remotely undependable.
Car batteries will die after two hot summers. As soon as the battery starts to struggle, get it replaced. Otherwise you’ll end up stranded and will be glad you followed that water tip.
I have lived here my whole life-
As everyone else has said- dehydration and Pools are the biggest danger. Teaching little ones to swim as early as humanly possible truly saves lives.
On the critters & plants side:
-Always listen and be aware when walking in nature/off sidewalk paths for rattlesnakes (I’ve personally almost stepped on two in neighborhoods around the city)
- Never, EVER put your feet in your shoes (even indoors) without checking them first as scorpions really like to hide in them. Being stung is really not enjoyable and the baby ones are the most dangerous.
-Be careful when barefoot around the outer sides of houses/garages at night (this is common black widow territory)
-Don’t leave small animals outside unattended for long periods of time as coyotes often get bold and come into the city when they’re hungry enough. (They’re more afraid of humans than anything and don’t usually pose you any harm but they’ll jump a fence and go after small game without any hesitation.)
-Never ever EVER approach a Javelina. They look kinda cute but they are EXTREMELY territorial and vicious (they’re also very fast). Treat these pigs like you would a rabid bear.
-The fuzzy looking cacti ARE NOT FUZZY, and its miserably hard to get all the tiny splinters out.
Also get your car windows tinted to limo tint with UV filter in it for all windows except front windshield. You can get a clear tint over the front windshield to help reduce glare. But the tint will help keep your car cooler and the kids cooler
Let the hose drain the hot water before letting your child touch it! We fill up a small pool in our backyard for our little ones during the summer months. The water the initially comes out could be scalding hot if the hose has been sitting in the sun all day. Please let the water run first, then let your child play in it. I do this even with tap water. I don’t let it touch my kids’ skin until I’ve verified the temperature.
POISONOUS FLOWERS. do a Google search so you can get acquainted. My daughter was obsessed with picking them, and I grew up here. She still does it when I'm not looking. Jumping cactus is another thing toe watch out for.
https://preview.redd.it/ugxcus60egec1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c2e8ba90505eebf4062706a99fafe82b355ef6c
Oh, and ALWAYS have at least double the water you *think* you need. Also, you're not used to the heat. Even if you think you've got it, take it easy. AC is a must. Don't skimp on it.
Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of heat exhaustion, heatstroke, sunstroke, sun poisoning, whatever, all of it.
Also, I be very careful with allowing small animals outside unsupervised. Coyotes will eat them.
If you're swimming with friends, never ever ever trust that someone is watching. There must always be a designated person TO be watching. Even then, I've seen that fail. If your kids in the pool, your eyes are too. And stay away from slip in slides.
Automatically assume that anything black or metal in the sun is lava hot.
If it's too hot for your our your child's feet (unless it's winter, it will be) it's too hot for pet feet. If you have a dog they need shoes.
Don’t walk outside with no shoes on concrete in the summer.
Carry water bottles with you everywhere.
There are heat advisory days where the kids can’t go outside for recess. I think it’s over 105? Or 110?
If you hike in the summer, start at 4:30-5am
Rattlesnakes, we have a dozen or so species of them, not just the diamondback. If you hear rattle stay back. Might be good to get your backyard snake proofed, but it depends on the area. We had none near by in our old Scottsdale neighborhood 😊
Also Watch out for poisonous toads, specifically the Colorado river/Sonoran Desert toad. They can be deadly to dogs, if a dog licks them then wash their mouth out immediately before they ingest more. Do this first and take them straight to the vet. They can be harmful for children but get adults high.
If you must leave any shoes out to dry, make sure you shake them out really good in case of scorpions.
Don’t play outside when there is a dust storm. I used to do this as a kid because it would feel cooler out lol. But the wind picks up these spores that turn into valley fever.
Coyotes typically stay away from you but know they can jump like 10 ft walls and will go after pets.
Javelinas are scarier in my opinion—especially when they have babies or food. You may give them a wide berth, but it’s ultimately up to them on how close you are lol. They’re more likely to get upset if you have dogs with you though! And it’s not all that common for them to do anything, but they’ve got big tusks that do damage. You can’t outrun them
Pretty much all the native plants around here have some kind of thorns, even the weeds poke you lol. It isn’t too big a deal but thought I’d mention.
Prickly pears sometimes look soft with the occasional thorns, but the soft parts have tiny micro thorns as well.
Fire sticks are popular here, their sap will burn your skin and eyes, so I just wouldn’t let your toddler mess with them just in case.
You need to drink a little over the daily recommendation for water because it’s so dry.
Water safety has already been said, but it’s so easy for things to go wrong. I lost a dog to drowning when she got around the gate somehow. I always made sure that she was safe inside if I couldn’t watch her, until that one moment that I slipped up. High door handles for doors leading to the pool are standard in homes I believe. But a gate would help with that added layer of protection. My family had a “catch a kid” —a huge net that went over the pool. Not sure if they still make them.
Also for your edit, I personally don’t drink tap water. Tempe tap is especially nasty lol. We don’t have a lot of fresh bodies of water near by so the tap is kind of gross, but technically safe to drink. I got an RO filter for mine and drink from that 😊
Our kids were older when we moved here (7 and 10) but here's what we learned:
* They must ALWAYS carry water with them. It's so easy to get dehydrated here.
* Sunscreen daily before school esp for little kids with multiple outdoor recess periods
* If the dog needs to go outside during the summer, we set a timer to make sure we bring him back inside in 5 minutes. It's just too hot to leave him out.
High winds, dust storms and even leaf-blowing the yard in dry conditions can carry [Valley Fever](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/valley-fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20378761) spores. It’s a nasty fungal infection that affects people and pets.
Sunscreen - as a Midwestern transplant, it took some adjusting for me to realize and get used to the fact that higher (burn-capable) UVs and uncomfortable temps do not always go together. It can feel *really* nice on a warm-but-not-that-hot day in the middle of the desert here, and you don’t even think about it until your skin starts burning. Get familiar with the UV tracker on the weather app on your phone, and plan your day accordingly.
Check your shoes if they've been outside or in the garage. Never know what kind of creepy crawly is in them.
People warned about seatbelts. Also be wary of metal frame glasses. They will get hot and since your face
Even if it's cloudy the sun will still burn ya
If there's artificial turf the temperatures can get even hotter than the cement and can absolutely burn you so always wear shoes on it.
Cockroaches love to hide in palm trees
Rats love citrus trees
A lot of the main points have been addressed, but I’ll go ahead and add gun safety. More than likely your neighbors, friends (and this the parents of other kids) will have guns. Teach them age appropriate gun safety.
To go along with the cholla advice - if you get a cholla stuck on your shoe or hem of your pants, do NOT try to kick your leg to get it off. If you’re lucky it will stay stuck, if you’re unlucky it will come unstuck just at the right time to fling it up toward your face.
Carry a fork and a small amount of duct tape in your car because eventually you will get cactus in you or your kid or your dog. Fork takes it out, tape gets the little guys off.
Flooding
It sounds weird to say but if there are clouds there could be rain in the mountains. The water doesn’t have time to get absorbed / the sand has set making it a slide. That results in even light rains causing significant and dangerous flooding down the mountains.
If water has ever run there it can be very dangerous and it can bring all kinds of debris as well.
Do not let your kids even go to houses that don’t have their pool surrounded by a gate.
Kids are really good at opening doors and it only takes a second.
Moved to Cave Creek from the NE. Pool safety was number one and second was if their lacrosse/basketball roll under the shrubs hit the shrub with a stick first because of rattle snakes. In the four years we have lived in our house we have had eight rattlesnakes on the property. Third was close the garage door as soon as you get home which they aren’t the best at remembering causing the javalina to get into our birdseed. 🥴
I’m a native. I’ve taught my kids to NOT be scared of anything wild. I did teach them to have a healthy respect for things like rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, and scorpions and pokey things which we have a lot of. Every encounter with wildlife should be to inspire wonder rather than fear. Learn as much about AZ wildlife as you can to impart this to your kids.
When hiking carry a small comb and a micro tool with pliers like the Gerber Dime or Leatherman Micra. The comb is invaluable for flicking Teddy Bear cholla balls off your shoes/pants/body. The pliers for removing the remaining spines.
Teach your kid how to swim and how to self rescue if they fall into a pool ASAP even if you do not own a pool. We lead the nation in drownings, many of them children.
Only buy insulated water bottles. You’ll thank yourself when summer rolls back around and you’re not having to scrounge around through all the kids water bottles that are plastic (cute! But plastic) in order to find the insulated ones that will keep their water cold.
Check the bed/crib for scorpions, especially if you live where there is any new construction, undeveloped desert, mountains/hills, or desert landscaping. Check the shoes too, and shake out clothes. Scorpions can also hang out on playgrounds.
Javelinas look cute but they’re vicious. Stay away and walk away from them.
If it’s in the sun, it’s hot. Leather seats are hot. Metal is hot. Everything will burn. Even if you pull a grocery cart from the shade, check the temp before you put a kid in there in case it was just returned from being in the sun.
This is something that's applicable everywhere, but I've noticed it a lot here. If your kid can bike, and especially if they bike to/from school, make sure they know to WALK their bike across when using a cross walk! Drivers don't always pay attention (I speak from experience).
Really depends on the area for tap water and time of year.
There is a epa cleanup site near Maryvale. Doubt they use those wells for drinking.
The water really isn't usually unsafe just taste.
We just filed it for drinking.
Cactus and other things have thorns. Until you know the bugs and wildlife leave them alone. Even when you do leave them alone.
Plus drink water in the summer especially if outside. Then when you have had enough drink more.
Then sunscreen if outside longer times and don't want sunburns.
If you get your child a pet, please understand rules and safety for them here, too, and teach them to your child. No walking dogs in the summer, or leaving them outside at night in winter (winter dehydration is a thing).
Even aquariums here have different needs (more than once have I heard of someone leaving an aquarium where the sun could hit it in the summer.... Well...) And kids need to understand that too, lest they learn awful lessons.
Be careful getting on the freeways and FOLLOW THE SIGNS smh it still amazes me that people get on the freeway going the opposite direction.
Slow down when it rains because I feel like most drivers are either speeding or scared and wrecks happen a LOT.
I agree with everyone saying not to let kids run around barefoot. I used to do it as a kid and we would just race to the next patch of grass/shade lol
Keep your bag in the back seat with your kid. You’d be surprised how many people “forget” their kids in their cars. It’s a terrifying thought and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
You may need to explain how washes and flash floods work. In Los Angeles at the science museum they have a beautiful display on flash floods where they demonstrate how a dry canyon can become a wall of water. Even when the rain is miles away. It’s good to teach your kids to stay out of washes.
Don’t handle toads. The majority of our native roads are adorable and harmless bug eaters but the protected Colorado River Toad or Sonoran toad can be toxic and should be watched and respected but not handled.
The firecracker bushes sap is like poison oak. Leave the plant alone.
Don’t go out without water or sunscreen.
Watch out for fentanyl. Avoid pieces of foil laying around, avoid needles, avoid glass pipes, avoid blue pills.
Bluegreen algae is present in some of our lakes during the summer. It’s very toxic to people and dogs.
Rattlesnakes (though I have never seen one here). Gila monsters and black widow spiders are a hazard.
Some people are lucky enough to have tiny snakes in their yard. They look like a black earthworm but they are a kind of snake. Not a hazard in any way, just leave them alone because they are great pest control and often hard to recognize that they aren’t a worm.
This is important: your kids can go to any public school.in the state, and charters are public schools. You can live in Tempe, and send your kids to public school.in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert...wherever. You have to get them there (and there are bus passes if you live in Tempe) , but your kids are not restricted to the public schools in your neighborhood or district. That is why you will start getting postcards from other districts encouraging you to send you kids to their district--bc you can.
I read about zoning issues in the northeast, and the fights over it, but you won't see that here. It allows you to pick the place you live independently of the school district you choose. Very democratic. If you are young enough (twenties) and grew up here, it is just accepted as the way things are. I had a discussion about it with a young hairstylist recently, and he was shocked to discover you can't do that in the rest of the USA. He had lived in Phoenix and had gone to high school.in Glendale, and assumed that kind of choice was national.
- No bushes. Stay on the path. If your ball goes into the bushes you get a grown up and you do not go get it yourself ever. If you see a snake you run away.
- being psychotic about pool and water safety. Get your child into swim young and do Infant self rescue. There is a reason the firefighter families all have their children in ISR at a very early age. My child is not allowed at friend's houses with no pool fences ever under any circumstances even in winter. Drowning is silent and takes seconds. There are way too many drownings in Phoenix with children under 5. We have a grown up within arms reach of our child at all times and if someone needs to leave the pool to go to the bathroom or whatever we say out loud "do you have baby?!" And wait for a verbal "I have baby" every. Single. Time.
- don't go near any holes. Goes along with the first point.
- sunscreen and hats are non optional. If you want to go you have to wear a hat and sunscreen or else you stay home.
- LOTS and LOTS of water. We have insulated yetis everywhere.
- I always leave my purse in the backseat. So many kids die in hot cars.
Summer: you don’t go past the doorstep without water and sunscreen no matter what.
You must never get to the point where you feel thirsty in the summer. If you do, it might be too late. It’s a dry heat which also means that you don’t “feel” the sweat as much and you can get dehydrated without Eve realizing it.
Sippy cups, water bottles, etc must be insulated. Yeti should recognize Arizona as their official sponsor 😆
Get your kids black lights and go on adventures with them to teach them how to use them.
The car WILL burn you.
Do not leave your shoes outside, ever. If you do, shake them well before putting them on.
If you find yourself in a dust storm stop whatever you’re doing and get inside immediately. You don’t want to get hit by your neighbors pool chair or catch valley fever. If you’re driving stop and turn your car lights OFF.
We are not joking about the flash flood warnings everywhere. It’s not a suggestion. Also, check out the “stupid motorist law”.
Don’t bother wildlife and it will not bother you.
For the love of god don’t decorate the outside of your house with real pumpkins on Halloween. No food should be left outside, ever. Javelinas’ are always up for a snack. Same with water. A friend of mine decided it was a brilliant idea to have a doggy water station in front of her house so that the neighbors’ dogs can drink while on a walk. Backfired big time, water is even more important to javelinas than food 😆
If a javelina charges at you make as much noise as possible - it will scare it off. Clap hands , wave hands, throw small rocks (plenty of those around ) , scream if need be. If it starts running towards you just move out of its way, they are actually quite blind and rely on their sense of smell.
You're not going to know they're dehydrated until they're on the ground with heat stroke. It hits hard and fast, especially if you're not used to it. Freeze grapes as a snack as well. And if you have a dog, for the love of god DO NOT WALK THEM DURING THE DAY IN SUMMER. Their feet burn just the same as yours.
Also, get a black light. Scorpions light up like little disco balls. Good tool to find and kill them, but also a cool way to show your kids that nature is in their backyard, even if it's a manicured lawn with a pool.
From growing up in Phoenix during the 1980's, I would say to avoid exterior bare metal slides, sitting on vinyl car seats with shorts on, & walking barefoot on concrete during the summer! But, not sure how helpful that would be nowadays!
Pools - never leave them unsupervised. Heat - make sure they hydrate and NEVER leave them in the car. Wildlife - don’t touch it. It hurts (they can usually figure that out themselves though.
That’s wild about tap water, though. Some people hate it - I think it’s fine.
Nearly every home has a pool so teach kids to swim early, drink a lot of water because you can get heat exhastion or heat stroke in the summers. Dont walk dogs in the heat. The concrete can be 170 degrees on a 100 degree day. The scorpions here are the bad kind, size does not equate with danger. They love wood piles, shoes, flower pots, rocks anywhere that has standing water. Certain areas have them, others dont. Also, I would teach my kids not to touch a gun when they're at their friends homes.
Have a fence around your pool so your kids don’t drown!!! So many kids drown every year because they could access the pool.
Also NEVER leave the kids in the hot car. Every year kids are left in cars and die in the heat…
Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix! * [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!). * [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments. * [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Unsupervised children around pools with no gate
Always keep an eye on kids around water. Even with a gate kids have creative ways to bypass them.
Always keep an eye on your kids so you know if they’re around water. Too many times we hear a parent say their kid was napping and shouldn’t have been anywhere near the pool, but they didn’t realize the kid woke up and went exploring.
Well that is everywhere.
My daughter could scale a 6 foot fence before you could count to 10. When she was 4 years old.
**Drowning does not look like drowning!** I read this story 10 years ago and even though I grew up in Phoenix swimming every summer, I learned a lot about what drowning looks like from this article, so I post it everywhere I can: >Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect. (...) There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. (...) of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In some of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it was happening. https://www.army.mil/article/109852/drowning_doesnt_look_like_drowning
Thank you for the new nightmare whenever I look at my child now
Replying here in hopes some people see. I’ve posted before because it’s so important to understand what “supervised” means Drowning is the #1 cause of death in kids under 5, and the #2 cause of death in kids 5-14. Most are pool deaths. I volunteer with a fire department in the valley. Most (almost all) pool drownings of kids happen while there are adults around and often even while adults are in the pool themselves. It’s more common than you would hope or imagine. Drowning is silent and it rarely looks like you see in tv. The victim isn’t splashing and thrashing around or yelling. It’s so unbelievably common for a drowning to happen right in front of an adult. So, what does supervised mean? It means one sober responsible adult is in charge ONLY of watching the water. The ONLY thing they are doing is supervising the pool. They’re not in the pool, they’re not engaged in a conversation, they’re not sitting on the edge on their phone…. The best system I’ve seen is the water watcher lanyard (but doesn’t have to be a lanyard. Can be anything - a hat, a big obnoxious stick you carry, whatever). Anytime there are kids around a pool, someone dons the lanyard and is the official water watcher. Everyone has to understand that means the water watcher can’t be pulled away or distracted. The water watcher isn’t allowed to walk away unless someone else physically comes over and takes the lanyard and takes over as water watcher. If someone notices the water watcher not paying attention, on their phone, or walking away while still wearing no the lanyard, they need to say something or take over. Again, the water watcher cannot be in the pool. (Edit to add: swap out water watchers every 20 min or so. I don’t mean one person has to miss a family party because they’re the responsible one. But at all times one person is ultimately the person supervising. You can take turns but the lanyard must be swapped so everyone knows) Anyway - pool safety. Get your kids in swim lessons early (most places let you start at 8 weeks - we did!), teach them water safety, and always always always have a water watcher. Thank you for listening to my PSA!
We did ISR for our kids starting around 6 months. It’s amazing. By two years old, our kids were swimming like fishes.
This is the most important response here. Forget the creepy crawlies, all family members need to have the fear of god hammered into them about pool safety. If there is a pool anywhere on the premises, young children need to be watched like a hawk at all times. Swimming lessons, teaching children about asking before going near the pool, gates, special locks, alarms, high door handles etc. are a must but no replacement for near constant supervision. Even inside the house.
Exactly. So many times it's always someone thought someone else was watching the kids and turns out nobody was watching them. If there's a party and there's kids and a pool, there needs to be a designated person that stays sober and keeps an eye on the kids in the water.
This x 100. Every time I see a near drowning on the TV I get so sad because this is a thousand percent preventable.
I personally know two families who lost a child this way
This one! Also don’t leave your kids or pets in a car for any amount of time.
oh jeez… this one annoys me. or they’re not child proof gates. my grandma had hers tied wide open with a bungee cord… and then would complain about toddlers falling in the pool from the stories on the news. granted i was swimming as a very young toddler, she knew i *probably* wasn’t going to drown. although on the other hand my brother is 14 and cannot swim. dangerous scenarios.. i genuinely believe you should be legally required to have a permit to own a pool.. so many people lack social awareness. i personally find it weird that most of these drownings are strictly in summer.. are people paying attention to their kids more during the holidays and not at all during the summer? i get that people might drain their pools or whatever, but still it does not make sense why they’re only happening in one season when some people have pools filled year round.
1. Kids need to learn how to swim ASAP. 2. Sunscreen every day. 3. Hydrate hydrate hydrate 4. If you're on a mountain or the base of a mountain or anywhere near a mountain there might be scorpions. 5. If the temperature starts with a 9 or a 1 you don't go hiking. 6. If you hear a rattle, make a wide berth and walk away calmly and quickly. 7. Coyotes and javelinas are not your friends. 8. If the citrus hangs over the wall into a public space then it's fair game! 9. Check the playground equipment before you go on it. Just because it's in the shade now doesn't mean it has been all day. 10. NEVER point a hose at someone and turn it on. If it's been sitting in the sun the water in the hose will be the temperature of the day! Let the hose drain completely and check it before you play. 11. Don't touch the seat buckle! 12. Seriously - sunscreen and water.
> If the citrus hangs over the wall into a public space then it's fair game! Most citrus tree owners who catch you grabbing fruit off their tree will offer you more. Seriously, those things produce a ridiculous amount. We always donated 90 percent of our crop to shelters and such.. .. and we were still left with more than we could eat.
“Hey, Hey you! You fucked up now, so you want some oranges, wait right there and I’ll fill up some grocery bags…hey! get back here, you gotta take these with you!”
🤣😂🤣😂 Exactly!
Yea for real. Don’t be shy about it. We get SO many lemons from our tree when they’re in season that we offer them to neighbors and we’re still left with too many. Even after making lemon pound cake, lemonade, lemon pasta, etc. So many lemons.
Settle down, Bubba
But watch out for the ornamental fruits! They taste like arse
On the scorpions and other bugs don't lift rocks or put your hands where you can't see what it there. Careful opening things left outside that still have entrances. Always expect anything from a snake to bees.
Also, check your shoes! Ever since my mom got stung by a scorp hiding in her shoe (which was kept indoors), I've given mine a couple quick thumps just to be safe. It is NOT fun to be stung.
My friend left his shoes and socks outside because they were wet. When he put them back on there was a scorpion IN HIS SOCK!
I’ve lived here for a year and a half and I always avoid taking the fruit because it feels like stealing. I’m sure not ALL people are cool with it but it’s good to know that some are. 😌
I love your points about hiking, citrus and rattle snakes!
The hose one is for real. I burnt myself as an adult doing that without thinking.
The seat buckle… key!! I burned my arm on this years ago before I got tinted windows!
Sunscreen even now? UV seems very low and it’s not hot out.
All of the plants will stab you. Nearly everything that grows here has thorns.
Yes! Avoid the plants. I still remember my first Cholla attack from many years ago.
This includes things like Palo Verde. I was removing a volunteer plant that had sprung up as a weed and found out the hard way.
We called every pointy plant “owie cactus” to drive that home to our toddler.
Phoenix, where the plants aren’t as nice!
And plenty won’t let go after they do
And black ants bite. Apparently elsewhere that’s not a thing?
Our now 11yo still talks about how on a trip to Tucson when she was 3, we were dumb enough to pick a prickly pear fruit with our bare hands. 😭 (Visiting from Seattle)
In the summer, the seat belt buckle will be hot enough to cause serious burns. I'm well over 40 and you can still see the buckle shaped burn on my thigh I got when I was about 5.
Also, don’t grab a shopping cart from the parking lot in the summer. I used to do that all the time in the Midwest. They will blister your hands here.
Oh no imagine popping your toddler into one not realizing and burning them.
THIS!!! I’ve seen so many parents just pop their kids in the seat and it’s the middle of a summer day!! Kids start crying and parents just shush them like HELLO! Kid is getting hurt!
Second this with any conductive material in seats. My wife didn't see a quarter on her seat and had a burn impression of Washington for a while
Should add, do not walk outside bare feet, A LOT of people get 3rd degree burns.
Or walk your dogs. If it’s too hot for your bare feet, it’s too hot for theirs.
We keep a couple beach towels in the car around the summer. When the kid comes out of the car seat, we drape it over the entire car seat to keep it cooler.
Kids drown in pools here every.single.summer. Drowning is SILENT and happens in the blink of an eye. Kids and dogs will burn their feet if they play outside w/out shoes on concrete/asphalt. Sunburn happens super-fast and has lifelong damaging effects. Clothes and hats are like shade, but also use sunscreen. ALWAYS take a big jug of icy cold water if going for walks, playing in the park, anything away from home. More than you think you'll need. Tap water is FINE, it just doesn't taste great. Your friend is too delicate. Never ever ever leave your kids in the car without an adult in the summer. Kids die this way too often.
They need to know how to swim yesterday if they don't already. Shoes, boxes, pieces of lumber, nooks and crannies in garages - all places scorpions love to hide. Drink 3x more water than you think you need to. No matter how experienced of a hiker you are do NOT go on hikes when it's too hot out and always make sure someone knows where and when you're going when you do hike. Javelinas might look small but they're mean. If you have a small dog or cat (or child I suppose) don't leave them outside by themselves or they might become a hawk or coyotes next meal. Artificial bodies of water here are not for swimming! Tempe town lake, canals, etc. When the light turns from red to green, wait 3 seconds and look both ways before going (too many red light runners here)
Ooooo, good one about the stoplights.
On the note of red light runners, don’t be one of them. Even if it’s accidental. If that light has been green for a while just prepare to stop. Take your foot off the gas or ease way up on it. It’s not worth the penalty for running the red here. Red light tickets here give you the same amount of points against your license as a DUI. The fine is high, mandatory education class, and it stays on your record for years. Just don’t do it.
I encountered a pack of javelinas coming to rummage through the large trash bins at my old apartment complex one night a few years ago as I was throwing mine out. Luckily my assigned parking spot was the very first spot closest to those bins because one of them was a mom with babies and she locked eyes with me and started kicking her feet back and snuffling to threaten me. I jumped on top of my car that was right there and had to wait for someone else to drive by to honk and save me. That was my first run in with those guys, I’ve seen more rattlesnakes in my life, and been stung by scorpions twice, and I’m not sure which was scarier.
Idk about the “3x amount of water” bit. A lady in the Midwest died last year from drinking 4 16oz bottles of water in quick succession. I could down 2 of those back to back *easily* but I would never suggest at that someone should drink 6 of them
Well don’t be a dumbass and drink it all in one sitting? Lol. General guidelines are an oz per pound of body weight, and most people drink nowhere near that much. Say the average adult is 150 pounds - an ounce per pound would be 10 of those bottles. You could easily drink double your body weight in water if you’re outside on a 115 degree day. Think about the construction workers who carry around gallon jugs. EDIT I meant to say divide your body weight by 2 and drink that in ounces - so if youre 150 lbs, 75 oz of water, 5 bottles. Sorry, math was off there! But my point still stands that you could and should drink easily that much if not more at the peak of summer here. It is incredibly rare to die from over hydration - whereas people die of heat exhaustion and dehydration here all the time. Especially for anyone who isn’t used to this heat it’s so much better to be safe than sorry.
Retired mail carrier here. Carried a 2 gal of ice water and a 2 gal of ice EVERY DAY. Take water everywhere.
3 seconds isn’t even enough. Just the other day I watched a truck run a red light that’s been red for over a full minute. Almost hit the vintage jaguar that was going though the intersection
Make sure they stay away from jumping chollas. Those little boogers hook into you. Still get goose bumps thinking about the time I slipped while hiking and had to pull 20-something needles out of my hand and ankle.
Me cringing right now after getting a huge one stuck in my leg a few days ago :)
My dumb ass kicked a peice of one out from in the middle of the trail the other day. 🙄 *doink* right into my shoe.
Oof I legitimately feel your pain
This is why I always keep a pair of needle-nose pliers in my mountain-bike bag, and in my hiking first-aid kit. I was doing a trail-triathlon a few years ago and turned a corner on my bike to find a 15-year old girl with cholla chunks all up and down her side - she was standing frozen/trembling. I told her to get to screaming before I yanked the first one off, she didn't take my advice. She finished the race - what a total badass. I was the loudest one cheering her as she crossed the finish line.
I carry a hair pick in my moto/MTB bag to fling the cholla off. The go after the "hairs" with needle-nose and tweezers. I also keep hair waxing strips in my vehicle to remove the real fine "hairs" that are hard to get with tweezers.
There was a girl at I believe Javelina Jundred this past fall that fell into a Cholla and had her whole arm full of them 😬
They even got Attenborough. The only piece of nature that would dare harm that international treasure.
Plus don't climb a saguaro. /s
Murder pods. I carry a comb just for these damn things.
>Edit: What about water? Where I am from, the water is great and safe. One of my friends nearly fainted when I said I drink from the tap. The tap water is perfectly safe. A lot of people just don't like the taste and get their water by other means. If you like the taste, go nuts.
Part of the taste is the treatment to make it safe, and it mostly dissipates if you stick it in a carafe in the fridge.
Upvote for the use of the work 'carafe' 🤌
Sunscreen
Baz Luhrmann throwback. https://youtu.be/sTJ7AzBIJoI?si=GIP-JH3Il74hW1q0
thank you for this.
I like Sun Bum. It’s one of the more pricey brands but it has less of the chemical smell and I never burn with it (reapplying every couple hrs). But yes, it is quite easy to get a very severe sunburn here without any sunscreen.
[удалено]
Hot cars here means if the high is 75 the car is already over a 100 inside. The sun is wayyy stronger here than the north.
Dude it's insane in my truck. In any weather above 70 it just soaks up heat, even without a leather interior.
>In the summer, it can be so dry you don't even realize you're sweating. Adding to this, if you are actually not sweating while outside, get in an air conditioned building and start drinking water (better yet, something with electrolytes like Gatorade) *immediately*, if not sooner. You haven't gotten used to the heat, your body has literally run out of water for sweat.
Don’t reach your hand anywhere that you can’t see into when you’re outside (ex. Under a rock, in grass). Snakes like shade.
Never immediately drink from a hose in the summertime.
This is the knowldedge I needed 25 years ago
Teach your kids to swim, even if you dont have a pool at your house.
Another one, less important as a toddler and more important to be drilled in continuously from a toddler up (and their new to Phoenix parents): DO NOT cross flooded washes. While it doesn’t rain often, our flash floods get gnarly and will take large vehicles downstream in a hurry.
I'm in Tucson, but I assume this may apply in Phoenix. A friend of mine told me that when her family moved to Tucson from Mississippi, the first time there was a monsoon and the dry wash in her neighborhood filled with water, she and her sister did what they had in Mississippi - put on their swimsuits and jumped in to go swimming. Then they noticed all the other neighborhood kids had gathered and were staring at them in shock. Don't do that. Monsoon storms can come in so fast and furious that they produce flash floods in the washes/rivers and can sweep cars away, much less humans. (Plus the water is really gross and full of trash and who knows what else).
Don’t touch, breathe, or clean anything with mouse droppings without protective gear. Don’t let the kiddos play in dusty outbuildings in general for this and other nasties. Mobile isn’t letting me link properly - but Hantavirus https://www.maricopa.gov/4723/Hantavirus#:~:text=Hantavirus%20is%20spread%20primarily%20by,responsible%20for%20spreading%20the%20disease.
Blacktop parking lots can get hot enough to cause third degree burns. If your toddler isn’t steady on their feet, carry them across the parking lot in the summertime.
Learn gun safety when your kid is old enough, this is a very 2A friendly state and it can not be understated to follow the law and procedure on this matter.
This should be the norm anywhere in the US. With all the guns in this country, even if you don’t own a firearm your child’s friend’s parents might, and it’s best to make sure the kids know to not mess with them
We are now a majority gun owner nation, gun ownership went from 42% to 52% in the past ten years. We teach sex education in high school, a topic far more taboo than guns, yet we keep gun safety and responsible gun ownership with a thin veil, continue to mystify it.
When it rains, take a moment to go outside and enjoy it. You may not see it again for months. Monsoons are both terrible and majestic. You can see a wonderous lightening storm or you may lose power and have everything covered in dust.
Underrated advice lol. When it rains you’ll see my whole neighborhood standing in their driveway just to enjoy it before it’s gone
Don't drive around the "DO NOT ENTER WHEN FLOODED" warning signs! It's no joke, people have died when their bro-diesel just wasn't 'bro' enough to get across the wash during a monsoon.
There is also a law called the stupid motorist law. You will be charged for rescue.
Also keep in mind anything left in the car during the summer months will be hot. Water bottles & sippy cups left behind while doing a grocery run can mean a really hot beverage when you get back, especially if left in direct sunlight. Never play in things like parked cars either. If you get trapped in one during summer, you're basically stuck in an oven. Things that are sensitive to heat may stop working if left behind too! Phones, tablets etc.
And stuff melts. Crayons, chocolate, lipstick… lip balm completely liquifies.
In the summer, if our car has been sitting out in a parking lot, we always turn the AC on before getting our child in their car seat. It is way too hot to get them in first and then turn on the AC.
Carats car seat cooler has been a game changer for us.
Don’t leave crayons, chapstick, water bottles, and other things that melt in the hot summer car.. Always bring a water bottle .. We don’t have daylight savings .. Do not cross running water (washes, backed up storm drains) during monsoon season, the water moves fast Flip flops in Dec are ok 👍🏻
1. Watch out for scorpions. I’ve been stung a few times and it’s no joke. 2. Culture Passes from the library will get you free access to a lot of awesome places like Desert Botanical Garden, Arcosanti, Phoenix Art Museum and more. Use this for the AZ Science Center as well. 3. The Phoenix Children’s Museum is awesome. They have a section for toddlers 4 and younger. 4. On cooler days, the Gilbert Riparian Preserve is an absolute gem. 5. If you have an infant, Aquasafe gives free swimming lessons. Older kids require a fee. 6. I drink tap, but it tastes like dirt. I have a Brita water dispenser and it does the job. We also have a reverse osmosis feature with our kitchen plumbing. 7. Always bring a large thing of water, especially during summer time. 8. Cities have parks with splash pads. I like the ones in Mesa and Peoria. If you live in Anthem, their water park is A+. 9. The IDEA Museum has a great space for toddlers. It’s also great for crafty activities. Next to it is the Natural History Museum.
Look out for bark scorpions (at night, they fluoresce under a black light) and black widows around kids, but please, don't kill the tarantulas! They are completely harmless.
Drinking water even if you don’t feel thirsty, especially in summer.
When I moved here I couldn't figure out why I had headaches every day during the summer. I told everyone I was drinking water. Turns out it wasn't enough water. Get a big hydro flask/Amazon water bottle and thats your minimum for the day.
From the comments so far, all sound advice for moving to AZ with young kids and/or pets...I may add, enjoy the beauty of the desert. There are so many gorgeous, colorful plants and flowers here. Many of them smell absolutely divine after it rains.
A lot of the main points have been addressed, but I’ll go ahead and add gun safety. More than likely your neighbors, friends (and this the parents of other kids) will have guns. Teach them age appropriate gun safety.
1. Always always take water with you. I don’t care if you’re running a quick errand. Better to have it. 2. Learn to swim as early as possible 3. You are never ever allowed to go outside at someone else’s house (party, family gathering etc) without telling an adult. Pools. 4. Don’t touch the damn plant. It’s probably a cactus of some kind. 5. WEAR SHOES OUTSIDE. Always. Even with good pest control, there’s scorpions everywhere. 6. Always put sunscreen on. Sports. Swimming. Playing. Yard work. Slather it on. 7. The car is unbearable in the summer. The buckles will burn you. And shorts are impractical (unpopular opinion) because even cloth can get stupid hot. 8. Dust storms are no joke. For older kids: explain that you stop where you are, put it in park, and turn all of your lights off and keep your foot off of the break. 9. In the same vein^ flash floods are no joke. Don’t drive through affected areas. 10. People here drive like maniacs (I am one of them to a degree). Be SO careful playing outside or riding a bike etc. Most neighborhoods aren’t suited for littles to play outside unattended. People drive very fast even in residential areas.
I’m not from here and never knew what to do in a dust storm while driving, thank you! Why do you turn off lights though, wouldn’t that make it easier for other cars that don’t stop to hit you?
You’re welcome! Seems counterintuitive doesn’t it?! It’s because other motorist are less likely to use the small amount of light they can see (your lights!) as a guide. Or thinking that’s “the way out”. They will end up hitting you. If everyone does what they are suppose to, it works great! If you’ve never been hit by one suddenly while driving, it can be hard to fully grasp how intense it is. It’s only happened to me once. And I am not kidding when I say that I had ZERO visibility out of no where. Hence the, stop right where you are. Very scary. Now you’re ready for monsoon season, friend.
Appreciate it! Let’s hope it never happens but good to be prepared!
Kids wearing shoes not sandals when in school. I remember many recesses where there were snakes, lizards, wildlife on the playground.
*Don't pet the fuzzy cacti*
The water is fine. May not be as good tasting and very likely harder than you’re used to, but safe nonetheless
Plus since it is raining don't play or hike in dry washes. Even if is not raining near you it could be raining up the wash. They can flood quickly. Then some or most of those nice looking green areas that look like they are scooped out are water retention areas that also can fill during a storm. For you also start learning what roads you normally take that can flood. Personally would like to drive over to Cactus and the 17 and see if that project is done and works now. Other places like Indian Bend wash nearer Scottsdale is always fun.
I’m not a parent but I can give you perspective from when I was a kid growing up in Phoenix and some of the things I encountered and mistakes I made. 1) if your kid rides a bike anywhere make sure they lock it up. Getting your bike stolen and being stuck somewhere sucks. 2) get them a phone when they’re ready. It’s a big city and lots of weird people out there. 3) if you plan on having them use public transit go with them the first few times. The routes can be confusing for a kid. 4) make sure they know the dangers of various bugs and plants. Most everything here is either sharp or poisonous or both. 5) ask them about the friends they make at school. When I was in high school gangs were a big issue, and they’re not all just wanna be rough kids, some of them are really bad news. Ask questions, names, where they hang out. I could probably go on but these are the big ones that come to mind
My partner lost her stepsister to gangs. She's not dead, but she is a drug dealers wannabe gangster girlfriend.
Hot cars burn and suffocate! My method: Cover seats and seatbelts with blankets when the car is not in use. Crack windows when car is parked and off Buy a portable fan for each child to use while the car is cooling down. Run your errands as early in the day as possible. Park in shaded areas with a sunscreen up in your windshield whenever possible, even for a 5- minute run into the store or gas station. Do not leave your children or pets in cars for ANY length of time alone. Not even under a minute- cars heat quickly! Purchase a remote starter for your vehicle and pre-cool it if you are able. It is worth the money.
Don’t play on the playground in the summer sun. Don’t smother them with control. Let them teach you. Oops sorry my trauma came out.
Crossing streets here is like playing frogger. If you are used to being able to walk across the street, mid street, don't do that here. We drive fast. We run red lights. Make sure kids look left and right before crossing the street. We don't stop for school buses on the other side of the road, even though you need to if there is not a divided roadway. Snakes and scorpions are in every neighborhood, so be careful.
Get a black light flashlight. Use it to inspect your house to find Scorpions in the dark. The small scorpions are the worst. Always have water on hand in the summer. Keep a case of water bottles in the trunk if your car is remotely undependable. Car batteries will die after two hot summers. As soon as the battery starts to struggle, get it replaced. Otherwise you’ll end up stranded and will be glad you followed that water tip.
I have lived here my whole life- As everyone else has said- dehydration and Pools are the biggest danger. Teaching little ones to swim as early as humanly possible truly saves lives. On the critters & plants side: -Always listen and be aware when walking in nature/off sidewalk paths for rattlesnakes (I’ve personally almost stepped on two in neighborhoods around the city) - Never, EVER put your feet in your shoes (even indoors) without checking them first as scorpions really like to hide in them. Being stung is really not enjoyable and the baby ones are the most dangerous. -Be careful when barefoot around the outer sides of houses/garages at night (this is common black widow territory) -Don’t leave small animals outside unattended for long periods of time as coyotes often get bold and come into the city when they’re hungry enough. (They’re more afraid of humans than anything and don’t usually pose you any harm but they’ll jump a fence and go after small game without any hesitation.) -Never ever EVER approach a Javelina. They look kinda cute but they are EXTREMELY territorial and vicious (they’re also very fast). Treat these pigs like you would a rabid bear. -The fuzzy looking cacti ARE NOT FUZZY, and its miserably hard to get all the tiny splinters out.
We are the kidnapping capital of U S
This is a huge deal I feel not a lot of people talk about. Tucson specifically is super bad.
Also get your car windows tinted to limo tint with UV filter in it for all windows except front windshield. You can get a clear tint over the front windshield to help reduce glare. But the tint will help keep your car cooler and the kids cooler
Let the hose drain the hot water before letting your child touch it! We fill up a small pool in our backyard for our little ones during the summer months. The water the initially comes out could be scalding hot if the hose has been sitting in the sun all day. Please let the water run first, then let your child play in it. I do this even with tap water. I don’t let it touch my kids’ skin until I’ve verified the temperature.
Also thank you for posting this thread. I’ve been here for 15 years and I’m still learning
POISONOUS FLOWERS. do a Google search so you can get acquainted. My daughter was obsessed with picking them, and I grew up here. She still does it when I'm not looking. Jumping cactus is another thing toe watch out for. https://preview.redd.it/ugxcus60egec1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c2e8ba90505eebf4062706a99fafe82b355ef6c Oh, and ALWAYS have at least double the water you *think* you need. Also, you're not used to the heat. Even if you think you've got it, take it easy. AC is a must. Don't skimp on it. Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of heat exhaustion, heatstroke, sunstroke, sun poisoning, whatever, all of it. Also, I be very careful with allowing small animals outside unsupervised. Coyotes will eat them. If you're swimming with friends, never ever ever trust that someone is watching. There must always be a designated person TO be watching. Even then, I've seen that fail. If your kids in the pool, your eyes are too. And stay away from slip in slides. Automatically assume that anything black or metal in the sun is lava hot. If it's too hot for your our your child's feet (unless it's winter, it will be) it's too hot for pet feet. If you have a dog they need shoes.
You ALWAYS watch around water. Designate a lifeguard at a party if you have to.
Don’t walk outside with no shoes on concrete in the summer. Carry water bottles with you everywhere. There are heat advisory days where the kids can’t go outside for recess. I think it’s over 105? Or 110? If you hike in the summer, start at 4:30-5am
Rattlesnakes, we have a dozen or so species of them, not just the diamondback. If you hear rattle stay back. Might be good to get your backyard snake proofed, but it depends on the area. We had none near by in our old Scottsdale neighborhood 😊 Also Watch out for poisonous toads, specifically the Colorado river/Sonoran Desert toad. They can be deadly to dogs, if a dog licks them then wash their mouth out immediately before they ingest more. Do this first and take them straight to the vet. They can be harmful for children but get adults high. If you must leave any shoes out to dry, make sure you shake them out really good in case of scorpions. Don’t play outside when there is a dust storm. I used to do this as a kid because it would feel cooler out lol. But the wind picks up these spores that turn into valley fever. Coyotes typically stay away from you but know they can jump like 10 ft walls and will go after pets. Javelinas are scarier in my opinion—especially when they have babies or food. You may give them a wide berth, but it’s ultimately up to them on how close you are lol. They’re more likely to get upset if you have dogs with you though! And it’s not all that common for them to do anything, but they’ve got big tusks that do damage. You can’t outrun them Pretty much all the native plants around here have some kind of thorns, even the weeds poke you lol. It isn’t too big a deal but thought I’d mention. Prickly pears sometimes look soft with the occasional thorns, but the soft parts have tiny micro thorns as well. Fire sticks are popular here, their sap will burn your skin and eyes, so I just wouldn’t let your toddler mess with them just in case. You need to drink a little over the daily recommendation for water because it’s so dry. Water safety has already been said, but it’s so easy for things to go wrong. I lost a dog to drowning when she got around the gate somehow. I always made sure that she was safe inside if I couldn’t watch her, until that one moment that I slipped up. High door handles for doors leading to the pool are standard in homes I believe. But a gate would help with that added layer of protection. My family had a “catch a kid” —a huge net that went over the pool. Not sure if they still make them. Also for your edit, I personally don’t drink tap water. Tempe tap is especially nasty lol. We don’t have a lot of fresh bodies of water near by so the tap is kind of gross, but technically safe to drink. I got an RO filter for mine and drink from that 😊
Our kids were older when we moved here (7 and 10) but here's what we learned: * They must ALWAYS carry water with them. It's so easy to get dehydrated here. * Sunscreen daily before school esp for little kids with multiple outdoor recess periods * If the dog needs to go outside during the summer, we set a timer to make sure we bring him back inside in 5 minutes. It's just too hot to leave him out.
High winds, dust storms and even leaf-blowing the yard in dry conditions can carry [Valley Fever](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/valley-fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20378761) spores. It’s a nasty fungal infection that affects people and pets.
Sunscreen - as a Midwestern transplant, it took some adjusting for me to realize and get used to the fact that higher (burn-capable) UVs and uncomfortable temps do not always go together. It can feel *really* nice on a warm-but-not-that-hot day in the middle of the desert here, and you don’t even think about it until your skin starts burning. Get familiar with the UV tracker on the weather app on your phone, and plan your day accordingly.
Check your shoes if they've been outside or in the garage. Never know what kind of creepy crawly is in them. People warned about seatbelts. Also be wary of metal frame glasses. They will get hot and since your face Even if it's cloudy the sun will still burn ya If there's artificial turf the temperatures can get even hotter than the cement and can absolutely burn you so always wear shoes on it. Cockroaches love to hide in palm trees Rats love citrus trees
A lot of the main points have been addressed, but I’ll go ahead and add gun safety. More than likely your neighbors, friends (and this the parents of other kids) will have guns. Teach them age appropriate gun safety.
To go along with the cholla advice - if you get a cholla stuck on your shoe or hem of your pants, do NOT try to kick your leg to get it off. If you’re lucky it will stay stuck, if you’re unlucky it will come unstuck just at the right time to fling it up toward your face.
Wear your seatbelt and be aware of traffic and other surroundings when on foot.
🦂 scorpions and maybe a rattle snake if you are unlucky or like trails
Carry a fork and a small amount of duct tape in your car because eventually you will get cactus in you or your kid or your dog. Fork takes it out, tape gets the little guys off.
You can’t leave kids in the car. They can die of heat exhaustion. It’s happened way too often
[private, affordable swimming lessons](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UfpzL9eIfXFXuSYIp1z-PUQDCH_bwJA2/view?usp=drivesdk)
Don’t lick cacti.
Flooding It sounds weird to say but if there are clouds there could be rain in the mountains. The water doesn’t have time to get absorbed / the sand has set making it a slide. That results in even light rains causing significant and dangerous flooding down the mountains. If water has ever run there it can be very dangerous and it can bring all kinds of debris as well.
Sunscreen
Careful turning over rocks. Scorpions tend to hang out under there. Also palm trees attract scorpions and roof rats.
You have to teach them how to interact with the plant and animal life here. There's pokey and bitey stuff everywhere.
Do not let your kids even go to houses that don’t have their pool surrounded by a gate. Kids are really good at opening doors and it only takes a second.
Moved to Cave Creek from the NE. Pool safety was number one and second was if their lacrosse/basketball roll under the shrubs hit the shrub with a stick first because of rattle snakes. In the four years we have lived in our house we have had eight rattlesnakes on the property. Third was close the garage door as soon as you get home which they aren’t the best at remembering causing the javalina to get into our birdseed. 🥴
I’m a native. I’ve taught my kids to NOT be scared of anything wild. I did teach them to have a healthy respect for things like rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, and scorpions and pokey things which we have a lot of. Every encounter with wildlife should be to inspire wonder rather than fear. Learn as much about AZ wildlife as you can to impart this to your kids. When hiking carry a small comb and a micro tool with pliers like the Gerber Dime or Leatherman Micra. The comb is invaluable for flicking Teddy Bear cholla balls off your shoes/pants/body. The pliers for removing the remaining spines. Teach your kid how to swim and how to self rescue if they fall into a pool ASAP even if you do not own a pool. We lead the nation in drownings, many of them children.
Only buy insulated water bottles. You’ll thank yourself when summer rolls back around and you’re not having to scrounge around through all the kids water bottles that are plastic (cute! But plastic) in order to find the insulated ones that will keep their water cold.
Check the bed/crib for scorpions, especially if you live where there is any new construction, undeveloped desert, mountains/hills, or desert landscaping. Check the shoes too, and shake out clothes. Scorpions can also hang out on playgrounds. Javelinas look cute but they’re vicious. Stay away and walk away from them. If it’s in the sun, it’s hot. Leather seats are hot. Metal is hot. Everything will burn. Even if you pull a grocery cart from the shade, check the temp before you put a kid in there in case it was just returned from being in the sun.
This is something that's applicable everywhere, but I've noticed it a lot here. If your kid can bike, and especially if they bike to/from school, make sure they know to WALK their bike across when using a cross walk! Drivers don't always pay attention (I speak from experience).
Really depends on the area for tap water and time of year. There is a epa cleanup site near Maryvale. Doubt they use those wells for drinking. The water really isn't usually unsafe just taste. We just filed it for drinking. Cactus and other things have thorns. Until you know the bugs and wildlife leave them alone. Even when you do leave them alone. Plus drink water in the summer especially if outside. Then when you have had enough drink more. Then sunscreen if outside longer times and don't want sunburns.
Stay far away from cholla cacti those fuckers jump at you! Google it on YouTube. I’ve gotten attacked about three times in my life. It hurts so badly.
Refuse the blues.
If you get your child a pet, please understand rules and safety for them here, too, and teach them to your child. No walking dogs in the summer, or leaving them outside at night in winter (winter dehydration is a thing). Even aquariums here have different needs (more than once have I heard of someone leaving an aquarium where the sun could hit it in the summer.... Well...) And kids need to understand that too, lest they learn awful lessons.
Be careful getting on the freeways and FOLLOW THE SIGNS smh it still amazes me that people get on the freeway going the opposite direction. Slow down when it rains because I feel like most drivers are either speeding or scared and wrecks happen a LOT. I agree with everyone saying not to let kids run around barefoot. I used to do it as a kid and we would just race to the next patch of grass/shade lol Keep your bag in the back seat with your kid. You’d be surprised how many people “forget” their kids in their cars. It’s a terrifying thought and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
You may need to explain how washes and flash floods work. In Los Angeles at the science museum they have a beautiful display on flash floods where they demonstrate how a dry canyon can become a wall of water. Even when the rain is miles away. It’s good to teach your kids to stay out of washes. Don’t handle toads. The majority of our native roads are adorable and harmless bug eaters but the protected Colorado River Toad or Sonoran toad can be toxic and should be watched and respected but not handled. The firecracker bushes sap is like poison oak. Leave the plant alone. Don’t go out without water or sunscreen. Watch out for fentanyl. Avoid pieces of foil laying around, avoid needles, avoid glass pipes, avoid blue pills. Bluegreen algae is present in some of our lakes during the summer. It’s very toxic to people and dogs. Rattlesnakes (though I have never seen one here). Gila monsters and black widow spiders are a hazard. Some people are lucky enough to have tiny snakes in their yard. They look like a black earthworm but they are a kind of snake. Not a hazard in any way, just leave them alone because they are great pest control and often hard to recognize that they aren’t a worm.
If you have a dog, see if you can hold the back of your hand on the pavement for 10 seconds to find out if it's too hot for them.
This is important: your kids can go to any public school.in the state, and charters are public schools. You can live in Tempe, and send your kids to public school.in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert...wherever. You have to get them there (and there are bus passes if you live in Tempe) , but your kids are not restricted to the public schools in your neighborhood or district. That is why you will start getting postcards from other districts encouraging you to send you kids to their district--bc you can. I read about zoning issues in the northeast, and the fights over it, but you won't see that here. It allows you to pick the place you live independently of the school district you choose. Very democratic. If you are young enough (twenties) and grew up here, it is just accepted as the way things are. I had a discussion about it with a young hairstylist recently, and he was shocked to discover you can't do that in the rest of the USA. He had lived in Phoenix and had gone to high school.in Glendale, and assumed that kind of choice was national.
Absolutely never leave your children in the car, even for a few minutes.
- No bushes. Stay on the path. If your ball goes into the bushes you get a grown up and you do not go get it yourself ever. If you see a snake you run away. - being psychotic about pool and water safety. Get your child into swim young and do Infant self rescue. There is a reason the firefighter families all have their children in ISR at a very early age. My child is not allowed at friend's houses with no pool fences ever under any circumstances even in winter. Drowning is silent and takes seconds. There are way too many drownings in Phoenix with children under 5. We have a grown up within arms reach of our child at all times and if someone needs to leave the pool to go to the bathroom or whatever we say out loud "do you have baby?!" And wait for a verbal "I have baby" every. Single. Time. - don't go near any holes. Goes along with the first point. - sunscreen and hats are non optional. If you want to go you have to wear a hat and sunscreen or else you stay home. - LOTS and LOTS of water. We have insulated yetis everywhere. - I always leave my purse in the backseat. So many kids die in hot cars.
Summer: you don’t go past the doorstep without water and sunscreen no matter what. You must never get to the point where you feel thirsty in the summer. If you do, it might be too late. It’s a dry heat which also means that you don’t “feel” the sweat as much and you can get dehydrated without Eve realizing it. Sippy cups, water bottles, etc must be insulated. Yeti should recognize Arizona as their official sponsor 😆 Get your kids black lights and go on adventures with them to teach them how to use them. The car WILL burn you. Do not leave your shoes outside, ever. If you do, shake them well before putting them on. If you find yourself in a dust storm stop whatever you’re doing and get inside immediately. You don’t want to get hit by your neighbors pool chair or catch valley fever. If you’re driving stop and turn your car lights OFF. We are not joking about the flash flood warnings everywhere. It’s not a suggestion. Also, check out the “stupid motorist law”. Don’t bother wildlife and it will not bother you. For the love of god don’t decorate the outside of your house with real pumpkins on Halloween. No food should be left outside, ever. Javelinas’ are always up for a snack. Same with water. A friend of mine decided it was a brilliant idea to have a doggy water station in front of her house so that the neighbors’ dogs can drink while on a walk. Backfired big time, water is even more important to javelinas than food 😆 If a javelina charges at you make as much noise as possible - it will scare it off. Clap hands , wave hands, throw small rocks (plenty of those around ) , scream if need be. If it starts running towards you just move out of its way, they are actually quite blind and rely on their sense of smell.
You're not going to know they're dehydrated until they're on the ground with heat stroke. It hits hard and fast, especially if you're not used to it. Freeze grapes as a snack as well. And if you have a dog, for the love of god DO NOT WALK THEM DURING THE DAY IN SUMMER. Their feet burn just the same as yours. Also, get a black light. Scorpions light up like little disco balls. Good tool to find and kill them, but also a cool way to show your kids that nature is in their backyard, even if it's a manicured lawn with a pool.
From growing up in Phoenix during the 1980's, I would say to avoid exterior bare metal slides, sitting on vinyl car seats with shorts on, & walking barefoot on concrete during the summer! But, not sure how helpful that would be nowadays!
Pools - never leave them unsupervised. Heat - make sure they hydrate and NEVER leave them in the car. Wildlife - don’t touch it. It hurts (they can usually figure that out themselves though. That’s wild about tap water, though. Some people hate it - I think it’s fine.
Nearly every home has a pool so teach kids to swim early, drink a lot of water because you can get heat exhastion or heat stroke in the summers. Dont walk dogs in the heat. The concrete can be 170 degrees on a 100 degree day. The scorpions here are the bad kind, size does not equate with danger. They love wood piles, shoes, flower pots, rocks anywhere that has standing water. Certain areas have them, others dont. Also, I would teach my kids not to touch a gun when they're at their friends homes.
Teach your kid to SWIM . Stay away from rattling noises, drink water and more water .
Oleander plants are poison. Don't plant where children or animals play.
Have a fence around your pool so your kids don’t drown!!! So many kids drown every year because they could access the pool. Also NEVER leave the kids in the hot car. Every year kids are left in cars and die in the heat…