There are different kinds of stranger dangers. Here is how to avoid these dangers. Whatever the circumstances are, the first thing, and the most important thing is to teach your child what a stranger is.
All too often the phrase stranger danger is preached, but it is not understood. The children need to understand what a stranger is, so they know not to go with them. A child needs to understand what to do when a stranger, no matter what the approach tactic is, approaches them. This is what this article is all about, different kinds of stranger danger, and what your child can do in order to avoid it.
Start with knowing where a stranger could approach a child. Then consider what you can do to protect them. The common places a pedophile will approach a child are as follows:
• Public places like, parks, playgrounds, malls, fair grounds, zoos, swimming pools, play lands, restaurants, and even schools
• Internet chat rooms, MySpace, and other friends on the Internet
• Church functions
• Community groups, services etc.
• In dark walkways, alone on the road home, vacant buildings
• In your own home, or front and back yard
Ok, that information may be scary. There are some things you can do, though, in order to protect your child. Here are some steps you can take that will teach children to protect themselves.
It is time to teach your child who a stranger is. This can be done in many ways. The easiest is with some pictures.
Show your child a picture of someone who is not a stranger, and then show him or her a picture of a stranger. This should be done with several examples. Like this: “Hey Jimmy see this picture? It is Grandma; she is not a stranger.” Then point out the ice cream man, and say, “See Jimmy, the ice-cream man is a stranger.”
There are also some games on the Internet, and pictures you can use to help teach this to your child. However you do it, it is imperative to their safety that you show them who not to talk to.
Children are approached all the time on the Internet. It is best for a child not to talk to anyone on the Internet that is not family or friends that their parents know. This is hard to enforce; however, if your child’s safety is your first concern, there are steps you can take to do this. There are several protection programs for children’s access on the Internet. Here are a couple examples:
However, these do not prevent your child from talking. That is where you need to be involved. Watch what they are doing. Learn the lingo of the Internet chat rooms. Here is a link that can help.
They also need to be taught about what is out there, and why they should not talk to strangers on the Internet.
There needs to be a plan of action that is rehearsed. This will help your child know what to do if a stranger approaches them.
If your child is approached by a stranger:
1. Do not talk to them
2. Run to a parent or their caregiver
3. If they are grabbed, teach them to yell, bite and kick
4. They need to know your phone number, address, and how to call 911 in case they are taken
Prevention is the best plan. In order to avoid stranger danger, it is necessary to prevent your child from these types of dangers. In order to do that, there needs to be rules in place.
• Do not wander off alone.
• Do not leave home without permission.
• Do not talk to strangers
• Use a private code for children that are picked up from school or daycare
• If they get separated, have them call you or meet in a specific location. If they cannot find that location, have them find a mother with children to ask for help
• When they are home alone, they should not answer the phone or door without the code.
• They should never, for any reason, let a stranger in their home
You will likely think of other ways you can help your child avoid these stranger dangers. However, the biggest step is to talk about it and rehearse what they should do if they are approached.