In the recent past, cases of children being abducted by strangers have been on the rise. Parents need to make their children aware of the dangers out there and educate them on how to handle such situations. Children under 7 years should never be left unattended. However, older children need to be allowed some level of independence if they are to grow up become street smart. You should let your children know where the nearest security guard and patrol services in Montreal are located in case they need to run to safety.
Who is a stranger?
You should be clear what you mean when you ask your children not to talk to strangers. Unfortunately, many kids are led to think that strangers with a bad intent usually wear shades and have beards. It is important to let them know that anyone they are not familiar with can pose a threat to them. That they can be women, men, young or old and that they should never engage in a conversation with anyone they do not know.
Let them know that these strangers can even be smartly dressed and may look friendly. Does this mean that your child should be afraid of everyone? Well, this may seem like the case but they need to understand that not everyone who is around is a threat.
Basic rules your children should know about stranger danger
They should never accept gifts of any kind from strangers or accept car lifts. Kids need to understand the importance of telling their parents or guardians where they are off to every time they step out of the door. They should never go near a vehicle to give directions to a stranger or go anywhere with someone they do not know.
Encourage your children to tell when they have had an encounter with a stranger whether he posed a danger or not. Ask your children to play in groups and that they need to steer clear of dark and lonely places. You should teach them the YELL, RUN, TELL rule to help them in a time of danger and that they should always run towards the direction where there are many people.
How to ensure your children’s safety
Parents or guardians may not always be available to pick their children from school. They should agree on a code word which the person picking them from school should say first before kids agree to go with them. Parents should also be wary of close relatives and should make sure that their children hang out with trusted family members. There have been cases where abductions have been facilitated by people children know.
Sometimes parents have a bad instinct about a person and they should learn to trust them and keep their children away from these people as far as possible. If you notice your child is not comfortable around a certain person, you should try to find out why.
Online stranger dangers
At this age and era, children are getting access to the internet at a very tender age. Your job as a parent is to ensure that you set parental controls on the sites your child visits. Tell your kids about the dangers of meeting people online and engaging with them. That they should never agree to meet a person they met online under any circumstance.
Parents should take an interest in what their kids do when they visit online sites and should never allow them to lock themselves in the bedroom when online. You should consider enrolling your children in self-defense classes. This not only keeps them fit but also prepares your children on how to protect themselves from dangerous strangers.
