Barely a week goes by without news or rumour of another attempted child abduction.
From the busy city to the quiet neighbourhood street, sadly it seems nowhere is 100 per cent safe. So how do you promote independence and confidence without putting your child in danger? Preparation and education are key.
Here are five techniques that every child should have in their arsenal should the worst happen…
1. Take a step back
When a car pulls up to the kerb, a child’s natural reaction is to step or lean towards it. Teach your child to step backwards instead, and then to keep moving in the opposite direction to the car until they find another adult.
2. Make a scene
Predators rely on moving quickly and anonymously. Teach your child to point and shout ‘Stranger Danger’ at the top of their voice if they sense something unusual. If they hear someone else shout, they should join in. A group of children pointing and yelling ‘Stranger Danger’ is highly likely to alarm a predator. There’s safety in numbers.
3. Decide on a password
Come up with a special password known only to you and your child. If at any stage another adult is elected to collect the child from school, that adult should be able to tell them the password. If the adult who claims to be collecting them cannot tell them the password, the child should immediately run and tell a teacher.
4. No, Go, Yell, Tell
The US Crime Prevention Council recommends the ‘No, Go, Yell, Tell’ method. If a stranger or a scary person approaches them, kids should say no, run away, yell as loud as they can, and tell a trusted adult what happened right away.
5. Practice makes perfect
In order to give your child the confidence to put these techniques into practice, try a little role play. Try asking your child what they would do in these three situations:
- A lady who lives on your street but who isn’t a family friend invites you into her house for a slice of cake.
- A nice man stops his car outside your school and asks you to help him find his lost dog.
- A woman you don’t know tells you your Mum had to go to the hospital and offers you a lift home from school.
What safety tips do you give your children? Share them on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
