Protecting Your Children from Abductors
A mother was recently stunned to be reunited with her daughter. The young woman had been kidnapped as a child 20 years ago. Throughout the world, there are many similar cases. It is more than difficult to accept that these events are not rare. However, one of the ways we best protect ourselves and our children is to prepare for the worst and live within guidelines designed to contribute to that safety.
THE LIE YOU WANT TO BELIEVE
The most dangerous lie is the one you want to believe. It’s easy to believe these types of lies because the truth can be horrifying. “Do what I say, and you won’t get hurt,” is a lie as old as the father of lies. You want to believe that you will not get hurt, so many people will obediently comply and face terrible consequences. The same thing happens when parents think that safety guidelines don’t apply to their own circumstance. It is a parent’s worst nightmare to think their child could be taken.
BUT I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN FEAR
One way parents and children can better secure themselves is by accepting that we live in a world where predators look for easy prey. Teach children how to be a difficult target and how to respond in an emergency. By giving a child the tools he needs to deal confidently with an emergency and avoid peril, he is less likely to live in fear.
USE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
Take the time to speak with your child about the definition of a stranger. Seize opportunities at home and while running errands to remind your child what he has learned.
• Show your child how to find a stranger that he can trust in an emergency.
• Play, “Who is a stranger” with your child. Don’t forget that strangers aren’t always scary, funny looking or old. Sometimes, an abductor isn’t even an adult, but a bigger child.
• Identify safe places a child could run to if they need help: stores, restaurants, homes of friends or family members, libraries, community centers, local police stations, etc.
• Observe people and talk about the difference between someone that is well-mannered and someone that is overly familiar. Show your child how to determine when someone is just a bit too perfect, too nice, in a creepy sort of way.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOUR CHILD SHOULD KNOW
• Someone your child doesn’t know is a stranger.
• NEVER go with a stranger, no matter how nice, even if it’s just for a short walk.
• A stranger may know the child’s name, offer a reward, sweets or a toy, but under no circumstance should your child enter a house, building or car with a stranger. Instead, the child should loudly shout, “NO!” and run for help.
• It isn’t wrong to hit (and even injure) and adult if you are attacked. It isn’t rude or bad to run for help.
• A child should never help adults who claim to be in trouble and in need of assistance. A child’s response should be to yell and run away. If an adult needs help, he or she can ask another adult to assist. Something is definitely not right when an adult seeks out a child for aid.
The following scenarios are to be avoided:
• Someone with a leash looking for a lost puppy.
• Someone needing directions.
• Drivers asking for help with mechanical difficulties.
• Someone asking for help to find something in a car or house.
Things you can (and should) do to protect:
• A secret word is one tool that can be used to signal a child that his parents have sent an approved individual. If a stranger (or other person) knows the child’s name, but not the secret word, the child should refuse to go with him/her. For further safety, change the word regularly.
• Don’t fail to let your child know ahead of time when another person will be giving them a ride and who that person is.
• They should never accept gifts from a stranger unless parents are present and give permission. A child should understand that he is to refuse gifts offered when parents are absent. These items can be used as lures. A child can be drugged by doped candy or harmed by other items hidden in gifts.
• Children should trust their sense of danger. Running away should be the first response of a child that feels threatened. They should run for help if they feel scared. RUN – don’t walk – to the nearest safe place and TELL SOMEONE THEY NEED HELP.
• It is more important to be safe than it is to be polite. It’s better safe than sorry.
• Recognize, Respond & Report are the three “R’s” for dealing with a threatening stranger.
ROLE PLAY; MAKE IT A GAME
• Take on the role of a stranger and pretend to ask for directions or try to get your child to help you find a lost pet.
• Show the children how to keep a safe distance – beyond arm’s reach.
• Demonstrate for your child how to run away if a stranger grabs another child or gets too close. Explain to your child the importance of getting help right away rather than staying there when another child Is grabbed.
• Help your child practice how to yell and scream effectively to attract the most attention.
• Practice with your child flailing and kicking to break a stranger’s hold.
• Demonstrate for your child how to use their fingers to claw at an abductor’s nose, ears, eyes or mouth.
MAKING YOUR CHILD LESS OF A TARGET
• Show your children how to look out for each other and stay in a group.
• Teach your children that they should not leave the group or go with someone that invites them to leave.
• Playtime should be with a group or a safe buddy.
• Before a child leaves your home (or wherever you sent him), require that he check first with you.
• Talk with other parents in your community about these guidelines for child safety.
If these guidelines and information are incorporated as part of daily living, your child should not be traumatized. Rather than something extra, a child can learn these things in much the same way as he learns to brush his teeth, wear a seatbelt and check for traffic at an intersection: as a means to insure his well-being.
For more helpful tips like this, visit No Greater Joy – a ministry dedicated to sharing the principles of wholesome child training tips and joyful family relationships.
Child Safety : Internet Surfing (2003)
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Jolly Jumper Bumper Bonnet Toddler Safety Helmet $9 The Jolly Jumper Bumper Bonnet safety helmet is designed to cushion your baby’s head from everyday bumps and bruises, especially when learning to walk. This one size fits all helmet is lightweight and breathable for a comfortable, safe fit. |
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Regalo Blue Swing Down Bed Rail $33.49 This bed rail from Regalo is great for restless sleepers. These rails adjust to accommodate a queen size bed and the swing down feature allows the rail to swing down out of the way when not is use. |
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