Kids , have your parents talked to you about " Stranger Danger "

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Have a calm , honest , age-appropriate conversation with your child about meeting strangers and avoiding potential dangers . Here ’ s how .

We ’ ve all encountered the child at the playground , or in the mall , who won ’ t respond to a friendly comment or question , no matter how innocent its intent . We can only assume that the child ' s well-meaning parents instilled in them a fear of strangers in their attempt to protect their child . Although actual incidents of abductions and overtures from strangers are statistically rare , it ’ s natural for parents to want their children to feel safe , secure , and cared for , so headlines about missing children strike fear in their hearts . The dilemma is this : How can we educate children to be alert to possible dangers and at the same time encourage them to feel safe and confident in exploring their world ?

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children maintains that it is much more beneficial to children to help them build the confidence and self-esteem they need to stay as safe as possible in any potentially dangerous situation they encounter , rather than teaching them to be wary of strangers or “ on the lookout ” for a particular type of person . Based on what we know about those who harm children , danger to children is greater from someone they or their family know than from a complete stranger .

Although talking about potential dangers with children may not be pleasant , it pays off in terms of prevention . If you discuss “ what if ” scenarios in a calm , age-appropriate manner , you strengthen your child ’ s ability to face the world with confidence and self-assurance .

Age-Specific Safety Strategies

Conversations should begin at an early age , with information tailored to the age of your child and adjusted over time . Discuss safety issues in a positive , open and reassuring manner , modeling a calm but realistic problem-solving style . A matter-offact approach will make your child aware that he is capable of dealing with life ’ s realities . Even the youngest child can be taught simple rules about personal safety , such as his whole name , address , and phone number , the names of his parents , who to call in an emergency , and how to use the phone to call 911 . Here are some points to keep in mind :

• Tweens and teens ( ages 10 and up ) become more capable of judging the consequences of a potentially dangerous situation . They are likely to be in unsupervised situations more often and are influenced by their peers , and therefore , they may think they should act “ cool .” Your child still benefits from ongoing discussions of risks , using real-life situations as examples .

Being Aware of and Available to Your Child

In any discussion of potential dangers your child may face , it ’ s important to consider your own child ’ s personality and temperament . Some children are naturally cautious in new situations . Others may respond more readily to friendly overtures and promises , and therefore need more guidance . Some parents may be reluctant to point out potential dangers , but keeping children uninformed is not an option . The effects of the media are powerful , and children of all ages watch television , hear news reports , and listen to adult conversations .

Your child needs to know that their parents , caregivers , teachers , or other trusted adults are there to help if he has doubts , questions , or concerns about his safety . When sensational events about children are

32 | North Dakota Spring / Summer 2014 | abusemagazine . org

Source : www . scholastic . com / parents / resources / article / socialemotional-skills / talking-about-stranger-safety

North Dakota North Dakota | Page 32

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Kids , have your parents talked to you about " Stranger Danger "

701-258-8800