Important Safety Tips for Your Children
Never talk to strangers. This safety measure has been in place for ages; however, it is an important rule that many teens are constantly forgetting. Let your children know that if an unknown individual approaches them and makes them feel uncomfortable in any way, they don’t need to worry about being polite, just getting away.
Never travel at night or to a new place alone. Safety is numbers is a key way to keep children of all ages safe. If someone is attempting to assault or kidnap a child, they are often less likely to commit the act if more than one person is present.
Never get into a car with a stranger. When in high school, a friend was traveling when her car broke down. Instead of walking over four miles to retrieve help, she decided to flag down an approaching vehicle. Luckily for her, the woman was a mother of three and had her children in the car. This woman also proceeded to lecture her, making it known that her actions of accepting a ride with an unknown person could have been costly and endangered her life.
Give your child a cell phone to carry with them at all times. A cell phone could come in handy when someone is stranded due to car trouble or for any other emergencies. If the finical cost of a cell phone is a problem, talk to your local police department or phone company. Many people collect old phones that are out of service and give these phones to the public. Although the phone no longer has any service, many phones still allow you to dial 911.
Have a regular check in time. If you teen is taking an extended vacation or just hanging out at the mall, a check in time is an important way to verify that they are safe. In many kidnapping cases, too much times goes by before a child is reported missing and the first hours of a kidnapping are critical.
Kidnapping, rape, and murder are hard topics to discuss with children; however, it is extremely important to inform your children what could happen to them if they put their trust into an unknown individual.
