CHILD SAFETY TIPS

INSIDE RULES

1. Kids should know their complete home address, telephone number including area code and parents' first and last names.
2. If kids are old enough to answer the phone, they should know how to call the police or 911. Practice with receiver button taped down.
3. Kids should be taught never to reveal any personal (their name, school, age, etc.) or family information over the phone unless permission has been given by parent.
4. If kids are home alone and answer a phone call for the absent parent, they should say "he/she can't come to the phone right now," and take a message or tell the caller to try later - don't make excuses, they sound phony.
5. It's OK not to answer the phone and to work out a code (ring twice, hang up and call again) so a parent can check on a child that is home alone.
6. Kids are old enough to answer the door when they are old enough to check the identity of the person at the door WITHOUT opening it.
7. Kids should help their parents make sure doors that should be locked are locked.

OUTSIDE RULES

1. Establish a system of accountability. Learn the full names of your kid's friends, their parents' names, addresses and phone numbers. Check to verify the accuracy if you get information from your kids. When your child is at a friend's home, who else is present? Parents? Older kids? Other neighbors? No one?
2. Know your child's routes to and from school, play and errands. Insist they stick to the same route - no shortcuts! If you have to look for them, you will know where to begin.
3. Kids should be taught never to go anywhere with anyone without parental permission. This includes getting permission a second time if plans change and calling to check before going from one friend's home to another location.
4. Kids should never play in isolated areas of parks or playgrounds, and should avoid public restrooms, building sites and dark, or lonely streets.
5. Teach kids alternatives; if they are bothered or followed to the playground, walking to a friend's home, school or store, where should they go? Walk these common routes with your child and look for choices. Can they go back into the school, in a store, or business (kids are reluctant to enter a strange store or business unless you give them permission) into a fire station or approach someone doing yardwork?
6. Knocking on the door of a stranger is a last resort. If they have no other choice they should look for a house with a light on (at night) or toys in the yard if possible and ask the homeowner to "please call the police, someone is bothering me," but not go inside the house.
7. Kid's best defenses are their voices and their legs. Teach them to run away from someone who is bothering them while yelling to attract as much attention as is possible.
8. Teach kids not to approach cars that stop to ask for help. Most legitimate adults would not ask a young child for directions anyway. If the car follows them or the driver gets out they should run away and yell.

BAD GUY RULES

1. Teach kids that "bad guys" can be anyone; society teaches kids bad guys are always ugly, mean and scary, and look like monsters. Bad guys are almost always portrayed as strangers.
2. Remember, a stranger is someone who is not known by the child. A friend of parents, a friend of the child's friend or a neighbor can be a stranger. And a stranger can be a good guy or a bad guy.
3. Some bad guys are attractive and act nice and friendly. Some bad guys play tricks on kids. Typical bad guy tricks include bribes (money, toys, games, or promises of those things), lies, (your mother told me to pick you up at school), requests for help (my puppy ran away, can you help me find him?) or threats (if you don't come with me I'll hurt your mom).
4. Teach kids that a bad guy is someone who asks them to violate family rules, e.g., someone who says they don't need permission to accompany them.
5. Develop a family "code word". If someone other than a parent is going to pick up a kid at school, that person should repeat the "code word" first before the kid agrees to leave the safety of the school grounds. The code word should remain a secret and be changed should others learn of it.
6. Teach your child that they should not be asked to touch anyone in the bathing suit areas of their body or allow anyone to touch them in those areas. Teach them types of situations to avoid. It's not good enough to tell a child to avoid strangers.
7. The single most effective means of protecting your children is communication with your child. They have to feel comfortable discussing sensitive matters with you. If they don't feel they can talk with you about their true feelings or that they will be "put down" for it, then you can't expect they will tell you when they are put in an uncomfortable situation by a child molester.