Prevention Tips

Continuously encourage openness in your children so they may tell you about their encounters with strangers and others, online and offline. And make sure they know that they can say NO anytime they feel uncomfortable, scared, or confused.

Home

- Write down and post a “Safety Rules” list. Involve your children with colors and drawings.
- Teach your children how to use 911.
- Make sure your children know your work phone and cell phone numbers.
- Find another trusted adult that your children can call if they are scared or have an emergency.
- Make sure your children know your full name. Also, their own full name, phone number and address.
- Teach and practice with your children to lock the doors when you are not home and to not open the door to strangers.
- Practice with your children how to not give too much personal information to strangers who call the home phone.
- Choose a babysitter very carefully. Listen to your children’s opinions about the babysitter you have chosen for them.
- Make sure your children know to inform you of where they are going, who they are with, and if their plans change.

School

- If your children walk to and from school or to the bus stop, go with them and point out safety landmarks in case they are being followed or are lost.
- Constantly remind your children to NEVER accept rides unless you have personally told them that they can.
- Tell your child to keep a good distance away from a stranger who is trying to talk to them or offer them a car ride.
- Make sure your children walk along public places and not through quiet streets or badly lit streets. Also, remind them to take a friend or stay in a group at the bus stop.

Internet

- Place your child’s or children’s computer in a common, open area. This way you can monitor their time online, monitor the websites and establish rules.
- Instill in your children the concept of internet safety. Make sure that they practice privacy if and when they find themselves talking to strangers.
- Know the other places in which your children have access to the internet, e.g. school, friend’s house, library, etc.
- Make sure they your children’s screen names are not tool revealing and make sure their social network security settings are set to private.
- Inform your children of what can happen if they reveal too much about themselves, through images and words, to their “friends” online.
- The best thing to do is to learn about the internet. Visit www.NetSmartz.org for more information about Internet safety.

More

- Always remind your children of what a potentially dangerous situation can be, how to recognize them, and how to avoid them.
- Practice “what if” situations with your children. E.g. What if a stranger starts talking to you? Or What if you find yourself lost?
- Tell your children who they can go visit without you present.
- Teach your children to never be alone when outside, even if they are just in the front yard.
- When on an outing or vacation, establish with your children an area to meet and stay if you happen to be separated.
- Identify safe people to talk to such as security guards, uniformed police officers, people with store name tags, etc.
- Teach your children to scream, kick, bite, fight and run if someone tries to grabs them.

Learn more about Missing Children Awareness Day, May 25th and the Child ID Kit.