Raising Children to Be Safe

Times have changed since the Leave It to Beaver days when children were safe in their own neighborhoods. Years ago, it was a very rare occurrence that a child would be abducted, but now it seems that young children are abducted on a daily basis. It’s a shame that it is necessary to raise children who are wary of everyone they meet.  Unfortunately, to keep your little ones safe, they need to know that everyone isn’t good and kind. It’s a terrible reality to share with kids, but it is a necessary one.

Playing Outdoors

It is doubtful that there is a child in the world that doesn’t like to play outside with his or her friends. This is a good thing since exercise will help them to lead healthier lives. There are boundaries and rules that must be set when raising children in this crazy world that we live in today. This can be started at an early age so that the rules will stick with the child throughout their childhood.

Hopefully, you have developed your responsible parenting skills enough to set rules and boundaries without frightening your little ones. Never say things like “Watch out, that man may steal you”. If you do, you will be raising kids to be paranoid. Kids don’t need to be fearful, but instead they need to be empowered.

When playing outside, teach your kids to stay on your lawn and never go near the road.  This is an obvious safety tip, but you should also teach them to get close to the front door if a car pulls up and slows or stops, and to go inside if a person gets out of the car.  Raising children to be aware of what’s going on around them can help them to stay safe.

The School Bus Stop

Many kids wind up missing either on their way to school or going home from the bus stop. Predators often troll these areas looking for unsuspecting children who are alone or are only with one or two other little ones. It is essential that parents start raising children to be completely alert while at the bus stop. Young children should never be left alone at the bus stop. Adults can take turns staying with the children at the bus stop.

Your established parenting skills can help you to make your child more observant of what goes on around him. Raising children to be safe isn’t easy, but with constant reinforcement of your safety rules, your child will have a better chance of making it to and from school safely.

Don’t Laugh At the Password

Raising children to be safe includes having a family password. It sounds silly to some, but many kids disappear because they were told that something happened to their Mom or Dad. The predator tells the child that they were sent to pick them up.

This can be avoided and your child will be safe if he learns to go only with someone who knows the family password. Use your parenting skills to delicately explain to your child why a password is so important for his safety. Raising children to be informed of why certain precautions are necessary will also empower them. Being a parent often means being honest with your child in order to keep them safe.

Use a password that nobody else would be able to guess. It should never be a pet’s name or anything someone could remotely think of being as a password. You should select something that sounds silly, such as Tiddlywinks or Snickerdoodle. Both parents should be involved with practicing the password with their children. Use your reassuring parenting skills to let your child know that this is a special word that is a secret, and it mustn’t be shared with anyone outside of the family.

Being a parent and raising children can be trying. Your number one priority should be the safety of your children.