|
Child Safety Tips from Keep My
Child Safe Software
Children need to play and learn in
an environment where they are safe and secure. The safety of children rests
primarily with the parent, teacher or guardian. The responsibility to
create a safe environment cannot be avoided as part of parenting.
Encourage children to make choices and decisions daily and engage in regular
family discussions. Teaching children to avoid dangerous situations begins
at home.
1. Of course, the first child safety tip is for parents to purchase Keep My
Child Safe Software. On a regular basis, at least once a month, go online
and update the child's safety record. Put in new photos as they become
available. If you move or change schools, put in new addresses. If
the child's friends change or their phone numbers change, update your records.
Of particular importance, update the persons allowed to pick up the child from
school. Keep My Child Safety Software can be updated quickly and easily so
that the record is always current.
2. Teach children their name
(especially their last name), address, telephone number and parents' names,
places of work and contact numbers. Make sure they know how to Dial 911 at home
and from a public telephone in an emergency situation. The information that a
child can retain will depend upon his age and maturity level. To help children
remember, review this important information often and reward progress.
3.Insist that very young children hold the supervising adult's hand continually
while walking to and from stores, play areas, school grounds, camping and the
like. Older children should stay close by the parent and within eyesight at all
times.
4.Children must be taught not to wander away from parents in public places or
play 'hide and seek'. If they become separated or lost, teach them to tell
someone with a name tag, a cashier or a security guard right away, preferably a
female. This is especially important when there are large groups of people
such as the mall, county fairs, sporting events and other crowded places.
5.Encourage children to travel in groups , regardless of their age.
If they walk home from school, make sure that they walk with a friend. The
popular " buddy system " works best.
6. Train your children to check with you before accepting a ride from anyone,
even a person that they know.
7. Create a family secret code word that only the family knows. This code must
be used to identify the "safe" person if a child is to be picked up in an
emergency situation by someone other than their parent or guardian. If the
child leaves with someone other than the designated teach them to tell the
teacher, babysitter or parent.
8.Teach children it's OK to say "NO" . Also, if a person tries to grab or
restrain them, teach them to scream loudly , scatter belongings, knock over
furniture, make a loud noise and shout, "THIS PERSON IS NOT MY PARENT." So
that the child understands what to do, you can role-play the situation and make
a game of it.
9. Walk with your child around the neighborhood where they frequently walk and
play, pointing out 'safe houses' - houses they should feel safe to approach or
enter in an emergency. You can designate certain neighbors that they
should contact in case of emergency.
10. Establish an area in your home, frequently the kitchen, where you post
emergency names and numbers. In the event that the child goes to visit a
friend, he/she should write a note and put it in this area. this should
become your "Communications Central."
11.Never leave a small child unattended in a car or vehicle. Children have been
known to perish in a car fire, wander away from the vehicle and become lost and
traumatized by an accidental abduction when the vehicle was stolen. Never
justify to yourself that it is safe to leave your child ' just for a minute '.
it is never safe to leave your child unattended in a car.
12.Be cautious of persons asking to take photos of your child . If you notice
someone, for example, in a park taking photos, leave the area. A person with a
legitimate reason will ask permission and show you identification.
13.Promise your children that you would never abandon them. Let them know
that they can count on you to always have their best interest in mind.
14. A common ruse used by strangers who kidnap is "your parent/friend has died
and I have been asked to take you home." Reassure your child that you will
always let them know if something happens to a friend. Help your child
understand that going anywhere with strangers is not appropriate.
15.Assure your child that if she/he were missing, you would never stop looking
for them no matter how long it took to find them. Your child needs to know
that if he/she ever becomes lost or disappears, you will do everything
imaginable as a parent to recover them safely.
|



 |