What are your rules??

I hope you do take the time to talk to your children about their safety . Making sure to set clear rules of what to do when in public and simply giving them the best tools at having a fighting chance in any encounter with the wrong person and how to avoid these situations. The first important thing is to talk to your children about the reality of danger. We always want to protect our children and do not want to scare them with things we see on the evening news. Understandable......but is it protective? Without scaring your children, you need to inform them that there ARE people in this world that are not good and could hurt them. And that they look just like normal people. Children have an image in their mind of a "bad guy", when in reality they may look very friendly. You will be protecting your child more by giving them insight.

Growing up in a small town outside of Nashville, I often stayed with my grandmother. We would walk to a local store, and she would sometimes allow me to "wander off" to the next aisle or even department. Was this the best thing to do?? Probably not. But she did tell me, if anyone tried to take me to "scream my head off!!!"
Not bad advice. Ask yourself what tools you are using now, you may have some you could share. Could you use better ones?? Here are some tips that I would like to share----

a. Give your child a whistle, explain and make clear that they are to blow this whistle in the event that a stranger approaches and they feel uncomfortable and especially if anyone grabs them. Do not get too upset if the child uses it incorrectly because they may then become afraid to use it, just remind them of the proper use.

b. Make clear the limits of distance in stores, malls, parks etc. If I can't see you, you're too far or If I can not reach my arm out and touch you, then you are too far. If they get too far, let them know, and that it doesn't take long for an adult to snatch them up.

c. Role play, no really! Act it out, at home or anywhere. Set it up and give your child an idea of how to handle him or herself.

d. There are devices called child locators that act as personal GPS. Brickhouse.com is a good one!
Also, I am a big fan of cell phones for kids. I know its controversial, who should have a cell phone, how old should your child be and so forth. HOWEVER, if your child is ever alone at any time in their day, after school walking home, it may be the BEST tool your child can have. They can save their life as a piece of concrete evidence or for the records. It is worth it and more important to have it in an emergency. Better safe than sorry. Again, set clear limits for the phone.


e. Always make your child check in with you, if they are playing at a friend's house, outside, or if there is any sort of change in their day that is not typical. Have them come inside to check in or call. When children become missing, time is such an important matter, you need to know where they are in a time frame.


Please share ideas of tools you use to protect your children!!! Thanks