Child Safety Lessons You Can Teach Your Kids

Every parent knows the two basic issues when it comes to safety for children; stranger danger and road awareness. I’m a great believer in using a combination of books and practical examples to teach the lessons needed to ensure child safety.

I had a book when my daughter was young about not talking to strangers and I made sure I read it regularly to her. One thing that confuses children is knowing just what a stranger is, and a good book on the subject should help make this clear.  The book also showed pictures of people that can be trusted, such as police officers.

As your child grows, you can help them understand what to do if confronted by a stranger. This would include yelling loudly and letting people nearby know that the person is not your parent, or running away or going to a trusted person such as a school crossing patroller. Many parents tell their kids that it’s okay to approach a stranger in time of need if it is a woman, especially one with kids, but this is up to you. It’s a good idea to expand on this child safety subject by including things such as what your child should do if they become separated from you in a crowded place, a mall for example. This should help avoid panic on both sides if your child gets lost.  It's a good idea also to make sure they know addresses and phone numbers that may be needed.

Try to remember that, even though the thought of your child being abducted is terrifying, there’s a greater danger to them practically on your doorstep. I’m talking about traffic. Again, there are many good books on the subject of road safety, but the best way to get children to learn about how to keep safe is by example. So, every time you are out walking together, point out the correct way to cross the road, always use a proper crossing if there is one, and impress on your child the need for thought when playing out in the street. I’ve always pointed out to my daughter that drivers can make mistakes, and not to rely on their judgment or timing when she’s crossing a road.

The difficulty with safety for children is that we have to find a balance between letting them do things, while not being so restrictive that they are unable to learn how to keep themselves safe. It’s a fine line, but I believe that if we start laying the foundations of knowledge from an early age, then we will have imparted important child safety messages to our kids that will stand them in good stead as they grow.