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Stranger Awareness
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Teaching your child about strangers
Once every three days in the US, another innocent child is murdered by an abductor. For generations, parents have attempted to protect their children by warning them not to talk to strangers. Present-day experience tells us we need to go further in stranger awareness, and take some specific steps to keep our children safe.
- Explain the word, "Stranger"- Does your child know what a stranger is? Many younger children think that a stranger is someone that looks strange, and not just someone that they don't know. Point out someone at the supermarket that you don't know and ask your child, “is this a stranger?”
- Review stranger scenarios- Be sure your child learns to recognize the techniques predators use, including offering candy or toys to get in a car, asking for help finding a lost pet, or fabricating a story about picking the child up in place of a sick parent. One non-threatening way to introduce this idea is to use the online comics at McGruff.com that address the issue.
- Take a buddy- Encourage your kids to use a buddy system when they venture outside your home. Even if they are walking to school, playing outside, or shopping at the mall, your children should know to have a friend or family member nearby. It's also a lot more fun!
- Have an action plan- Does your child know what to do if a stranger approaches them? Do they know a safe place to go? It's a good idea to review some prevention steps for a potentially dangerous situation. Here are a few suggestions:
- If a child is approached by someone who makes them uncomfortable, tell them to yell 'NO' and run to a safe place.
- Never open the door when home alone.
- Make sure each child memorizes their full name, address and phone number.
This section is based on information from:
www.keepkidshealthy.com.
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