Teach Your Kids About Stranger Danger

As a parent, you want nothing more than to protect the health and safety of your child. However, you cannot always be with your child. Work, school, friends and general life activities mean that as your little one grows they will have more independence. Showing your child how to handle potential threats to their well-being at an early age is vital. Not only in allowing them to better assess social situations but also how to avoid them all together.

No, Thank You

A constant struggle as a parent is teaching your child to be respectful to others. This persistent reinforcement of concepts such as “please”, “thank you”, “yes sir”, and “yes ma’am” can lead to a child being very trusting. While you should teach your child to respect their elders, that should not overshadow instilling a healthy level of trepidation when conversing with unknown individuals. Making sure your child knows that politely saying no to an adult is acceptable as well as not following instructions from strangers. Together, these concepts will help your child remain vigilant against unknown people without having to sacrifice proper etiquette.

I Need to Check with My Mom

Asking for permission is a vital teaching moment in the life of a parent. Showing your child that they cannot go or do anything without first asking is paramount. Not only does this help in the development of proper respect and manners, but will also mitigate issues from stranger danger. Your child should always know they are NEVER to go with an unknown person without the permission of a trusted adult. This can be a parent, guardian, trusted teacher, etc. but your child should always seek the acceptance of someone of authority before doing anything. 

Help!

As a parent, the hope of teaching stranger danger is that it will never need to be used. However, similar to having a proper house fire protocol, the worst-case scenario may happen. Teaching your child how to properly call out for help is vital should something happen. Screaming out for help, running away, and even fighting back should all be discussed. If old enough, your child should know how to call 911 or contact a trusted adult.