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23 Ways to Better Protect Your Children
One of the keys to keeping our kids safe is by understanding the risks they face, such as the threats posed by abductors and online predators. With the right information and resources, you can better protect your children and pave the way to a safer environment.
What parents need to know- AT HOME
- Teach your children their full names, address, and home phone number. Make sure they know your name.
- Make sure your children know how to reach you at work or on your cell phone.
- Teach your children how and when to use 911.
- Make sure your children have a trusted adult to call if they’re scared or have an emergency.
- Instruct children to keep the doors locked and not open them to talk to anyone when they are home alone. Set rules with your children about having visitors over when you’re not home and how to answer the telephone.
- Choose babysitters carefully. Get references from your family, friends, and neighbors before hiring a new babysitter. Drop in unexpectedly once you have hired a babysitter and ask your children about their experiences with the caregiver after he or she is gone.
What parents need to know - ON THE NET
- Learn about the Internet. The more you know about how it works, the better prepared you’ll be to teach your children about potential risks.
- Place the family computer in a common area rather than a child’s bedroom. Also, monitor their time spent online and the websites they visit.
- Use privacy settings on social networking sites to limit contact with unknown users.
- Make sure your child’s screen name doesn’t reveal too much information about him or her.
What parents need to know- AT SCHOOL
- Don’t write your children’s names on clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, or bicycle license plates. When children’s names are visible, it may put them on a first-name basis with someone who wants to harm them.
- Remind kids to take a friend with them whenever they walk or bike to and from school.
- Walk the route to and from school with your children, pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they’re being followed or need help. If they ride a bus, visit the bus stop with them to make sure they know which bus to take.
What parents need to know- OUT & ABOUT
- Take your children on a walking tour of the neighborhood and tell them whose homes they may visit without you.
- Tell your children to tell you if they come across a dangerous object or situation.
- Teach your children to ask permission before leaving home.
- Remind your children not to walk or play alone outside.
- Teach your children not to approach any vehicle, occupied or unoccupied, unless they know its owner and are accompanied by a trusted adult.
- Explain to your children not to go near pools or other bodies of water without an adult. All pools should have a lifeguard on duty. If you have a pool at home, establish appropriate swimming hours and supervision.
- During family outings, establish a central, easy-to-locate spot to meet if you get separated.
- Teach your children to check in with you if there is a change in plans.
- Teach your children how to get help at theme parks, sports stadiums, shopping malls, and other public places. Also, identify who is safe to go to for help; e.g., law enforcement officers, security guards, and store clerks with nametags.
- Practice safety skills with your children. While you don’t want to scare them, it is important to make sure they are aware of potential danger so that they can be prepared to avoid or deal with it should it occur.
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