|
Don't talk to strangers!
Most of us get that warning ingrained in our kids' minds at an early age.
There may be times when it works against your child's safety though.
In addition to the fact that many kids can't readily identify a stranger and that they are often abducted by people they know, you can add the problem that if your kids take the warning too literally, then they may avoid 'strangers' who might be looking for them if they get lost.
This issue was highlighted in the recent story of the boy scout who was lost in the woods and actually hid from the people who were looking for him because he was afraid of strangers.
Fortunately, that story had a happy ending, but your child might not be so lucky.
That doesn't mean that you still shouldn't talk about strangers, however you should discuss a safety plan with your child to cover specific situations, such as getting separated at the mall or getting lost in the woods.
As part of your safety plan, you should:
- make sure your child has some identification and can be identified if he is found, like by adding a tag to his clothing with his name, your name, and a local phone number, like the number to your cell phone which you will hopefully have with you
- have a current picture and have identifying information about your child written down, including their height, weight, hair and eye color, and type of clothing they were wearing
- set up a meeting place if you become separated, however this usually only works with older children who will know how to get to the meeting place
- offer examples of safe places that your child can go to for help if you become separated, like a concession stand or a ride attendant at an amusement park, or a store worker at a cash register inside a store
- teach kids to stay put once they find a safe place
- give him a loud whistle so that he can call for help at the first sign that he thinks he is lost. Your child is probably going to be fairly close by when he first gets lost, even in a crowd, and if not located right away, likely will get further and further away as you both look for each other.
- help kids learn to be aware of their surroundings, for example, by looking backwards and pointing out easy to spot landmarks
- review the lost child policy when you go somewhere, especially if there will be a crowd and your child could get lost
- give your child a two way walkie talkie, so that you can quickly get in touch with each other if you become separated. You might think to use a cell phone for same purpose, but they often have poor reception in out of the way places, like Disney World and other amusement parks.
See our guide to separations and reunions for more information.
|
