| Safety "Check Points" for Parents |
1) Tell your child that you will love him or her unconditionally, no matter what happens. You may not like his or her actions or words, but you still love the child.
2) Teach your child safety tips in small, repeated, positive doses. Avoid using the word stranger! Children think they know people more than they actually do, and the term stranger is ineffective. Most children are molested, abused, abducted, or exploited by someone they know. Remind your child always to Check First before going anywhere with anyone!
3) Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle! It can take as little as three seconds for someone to steal the car; the inside tempearture may be harmful; the child may release the brake. You are also subject to a fine!
4) Give your young child the names of two Safety Persons who can always be trusted for rides, help, etc. Use a code word with children older than third grade.
5) Monitor what your child is doing on the computer! Instruct him or her not to give out personal information on the Internet or to make arrangements to meet in person someone he or she met online. Make sure your child knows how to be '"cyber-safe."
6) Remind your child that he or she is in charge of his or her body, and no one has the right to touch or talk about this body in a way that is inappropiate or makes the child feel uncomfortable.
7) ASK if there are guns in the house where your child is going to play. Discuss gun safety with your child.
8) Update photos four times a year for preschoolers and once a year after that. Keep a Child Profile booklet up-to-date with important data about your child.
9) Have your child wear items with his or her name on them only inside the house. Children are more likely to trust someone who calls them by name. Know what your child is wearing each day in case you need to describe him or her.
10) Teach your child to be kind and tolerant of others. Children need to understand and accept others who are different from them. Model this behavior yourself.
11) Be alert to situations around you involving other children. Pay attention to people and details. "Watch my child, and I'll watch yours."
Every child is a blessing!
(Tips courtesy of Safety Kids, Inc.-http://www.safetykids.org)
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