By: Veronica Rivers
Every time you turn on your TV or log on Facebook, you hear about another child who has gone missing. We as parents don’t usually think about things like this because we are in our own little happy and safe world. However, let’s be real: The world is very cruel, and we don’t want our children to suffer harm because we are in a state of “this will never happen to me.”
You may not want to expose your children to the ugliness of this world, but as their parent, it is your job to make sure they are safe. And in the event that you may not be around if an emergency happens, you want to make sure that your children know what to do in the event an emergency occurs. Let’s start being proactive in teaching our children some basic safety skills.
- Teach them how to call 9-1-1. Children need to know their full name (not the nickname you gave them). They need to know their age and address as well. You should also teach them the phone number and how to tell the operator what the emergency is.
- Children need to know where they can find a safe place if they find themselves in danger. (A safe place can be the house of a neighbor you know, a restaurant, a grocery store…anywhere that there are people who could potentially help them.)
- Teach them the difference between a bad stranger and a good stranger. Adults should NEVER ask a child for help, for directions or to find a lost pet. Good adults can be moms with young children, police officers or even sales clerks.
- If a stranger is trying to take your child without their consent, all bets are off and the manners are out the window. Let your child know in those situations they are allowed to—and need to—scream, cuss and say, “NO! I’M NOT GOING. I DON’T KNOW YOU. YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER/MOTHER.” Run to the nearest safe zone and tell a safe person what happened.
- No one, not even someone they know, has the right to touch them anywhere on their body that makes them feel uncomfortable. They have a right to say “NO.” Let them know to tell, and please emphasize that it is not their fault.
There are a ton of other safety skills you can teach your child. These are just some ideas that you can start teaching today. If you are unsure what to teach, please locate your local child safety organization and register for a class today.
Veronica Rivers is a consultant with Damsel in Defense. She sells personal protection for women of all ages and stages. If you or your loved one are in need of any type of personal protection (stun guns, pepper spray, etc.), you can visit www.mydamselpro.net/PRO12788. She will be happy to help you stay safe.