Child
Personal Safety Guide
Protecting
Grade-schoolers
Grade-schoolers (K - 6) are more competent than preschoolers, but
remain exceedingly vulnerable to the "lures" used by would-be
abductors and molesters. As such, they still require active supervision
and frequent reviews of the key
safety rules taught during preschool years.
What
to teach grade-school children:
-
To
trust her natural instincts and act upon the "little voice
in her head" or "the funny 'oh-no' feeling in her
gut" that tells her something might not be right
-
To
recognize the lures would-be predators might use to draw them
into a trap, e.g., "Would you help me find my puppy?"
"I'll give you $100 if you let me photograph you for my
modeling agency."
-
To
flatly refuse to engage in conversation with strangers unless
you or another caregiver are with them (test your child's ability
to look away or run away even if stranger uses an engaging line,
e.g., "Wow! That's a cool razor scooter. Where would I
get one like that for my kid?")
-
To
always have a buddy with her when away from home - would-be
abductors and molesters seek out and stalk children who are
alone
-
To
pay attention to his surroundings and show confidence at all
times (to "walk tall," as suggested by child safety
expert Jan Wagner)
-
To
keep a safety zone by staying at least 10 feet away from anyone
he doesn't know, especially a car with someone inside (test
your child's ability to maintain a 10 foot safety buffer)
-
To
run to a safe place if she becomes frightened, to run as fast
as she can, and to yell while running if she's being followed
-
To
be assertive - that it's okay to say "NO" or "LEAVE
ME ALONE!" to an adult, and perfectly okay to refuse a
request or order by an older child or adult (regardless of their
position of authority)
-
To
understand that people who might hurt them need privacy in order
to have control - bestselling author Gavin de Becker suggests
teaching children to avoid situations that would leave them
so isolated that a call for help wouldn't be heard or responded
to
-
To
agree to the terms of an Internet Safety Contract (see Protect-A-Child-Today!
Contract for
Internet Safety)
Safety
Guide for Preschool Kids | Safety
Guide for Middle & High School Kids | Additional
Safety Tips | Articles
| Ask the Director
| Recommended Books
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