Children are often the most valuable gift anyone can have. As a parent, it's your responsibility to keep your children safe. Unfortunately, that's not always as easy as it sounds.
We live in a world where there are many dangers that parents need to be aware of. Sadly, there are many people out there who are willing to harm children. Aside from that, children could get lost or hurt at any time. It's a scary thought for parents, but luckily, there is some good news. There are a few safety measures you can take to keep your children safe, and we'll be walking you through them.
Warn them about possible dangers
Children are often innocent and naïve, which means that they are likely to trust anyone – unless you warn them not to. Children aren't as cynical as adults, which means that they aren't always on alert, because they don't notice the bad things in life.
While it's not a fun conversation to have, you need to talk to your children to open their eyes so that they know that they should always be careful. Not everyone they come across will have good intentions. You can also support organizations that work to protect children from danger. An example is Operation Underground Railroad, which aims to protect and rescue children from sex trafficking.
Know their friends' parents
In the old days, children would go visit their friends with no problem. Unfortunately, that's not always safe anymore. You need to know that you can trust the people looking after your child, so it's a good idea to get to know the parents of any close friends your child may have.
On top of that, your child may tell you that they are going to a friend's house when in reality, they aren't. Having the number of this friend's parents will help you confirm that your child will indeed be at their house.
Teach them your phone number
You should teach your children your phone number as soon as you can. This can be invaluable information to them if they ever get lost since they will be able to contact you. Start off by having them learn one parent's number, and as they grow older, they can start to memorize more numbers. If your child is too young to remember your phone number, write it on their arm every time you go somewhere. However, if your child is capable of learning your number, you can help them in these ways.
Teach them about boundaries
We've mentioned that children tend to see the best in people. While this is often a great thing, it can also mean that they don't always realize when someone is taking advantage of them.
You need to teach your child to set boundaries. Teach them that it's okay to say no if something makes them uncomfortable and that they shouldn't hide things from you, no matter what other people say. Boundaries can be incredibly important when it comes to keeping your child safe, and it's also something that will help them in their adult life.
Focus on their clothes
If you are taking your child somewhere busy, it's a good idea to have them wear bright clothing. This way, if they do somehow get separated from you, it'll be easier to locate them. It will be much quicker to spot a child with a bright orange jacket than it will be to find a child wearing a grey t-shirt.
You can also take a photo of what they are wearing, or jot down some keywords in your phone's notes app, such as if they are wearing Old Navy baby clothes.
Let them know they can talk to you
Most parents tell their children that they can talk to them, but not all of these parents actually make time to sit down and listen to their children. Your child needs to know that they can trust you with anything, no matter how scary or embarrassing it may be.
It's also important to note that you shouldn't ever judge your child, even if they make a mistake. If you do judge them, they may never trust you again, which could lead to them landing in dangerous situations.
Track their phones
Most teenagers, and even younger children, have their own phones. And they carry them everywhere they go. While it may be frustrating that they can't even leave their phone at home if you go to a restaurant, it can also be very beneficial.
There are many tracking apps that you can install on your child's phone so that you can see where they are at all times. This will be particularly useful if you need to locate them and they aren't answering their phone. You can click here to see some of these apps.
Don't let them go anywhere alone
No matter how responsible your young child is, you shouldn't leave them home alone or let them go anywhere alone. As your child grows older, they may be able to stay home alone or go for a walk, but it's a good idea to have them keep you updated.
This way, if your child hasn't messaged you that they are home at a certain time, or back from their walk, you can call them to check up on them, and you also know where they are. You should also emphasize the importance of the buddy system when they go out with friends – it's always safer to go to the bathroom with someone rather than to go alone.
Give them something to protect themselves with
In order to protect themselves, children need to be able to alert someone to the fact that they are in danger. For younger children, a whistle is a good idea – even if they accidentally get scared and blow it, there won't be consequences. As your child grows older and more mature, you may want to give them a panic button that they can press in case of an emergency. Some parents may also choose to give their child pepper spray or something else to defend themselves with, but this is entirely up to you.
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