Keeping Our Children Safe

As a parent, It is our duty to teach our kids about personal safety. We also need to talk to our children about protecting ourselves. Here are some tips that might be helpful:

* Teach the buddy system.Children should learn when it is safer to be with a friend or trusted adult than to be alone.

* Teach the children to check with the adult in charge before changing plans or going anywhere even if they're going with the familiar adult.

* Children should know how to use the telephone. All school-age children should learn to dial "0" and "911" for help and how to use the pay phone.

* Role - play with children. Kids learn by doing, not just talking. Kids should exprience what it feels to say "no" in difficult situations.

- Use the "what if" game to help children think of how they would respond to situations such as:"What if the school bus doesn't arrive on time?" "What if the after-school baby sitter isn't there to meet you?" "What if the stanger asks you to help him find his lost puppy.
- Describe real-life situations
- Have children practice to threatening situations.
- Show children how to stay at least an arm's length away
from strangers who approach them.