The world is no longer as safe and friendly as when we were young. Along with social and technological advances a myriad of new crimes and personal assaults has entered our lives. As adults we’ve grown aware of fresh dangers, but we’re left to worry about how our children will deal with this "brave new world". Rather than struggle uncertainly about your family’s safety, prepare your kids with common sense.

It’s not appealing or practical to lock our children in the house until they reach adulthood, so I offer you a plan of safety for modern children. Most of us have busy schedules as do those around us, so we have to instill an ingrained sense of safety in our young. They need to learn who they can trust and what to do in a stressful situation. Firstly, your kids should know their address and phone number, as well as any other phone numbers you are at, as well as numbers to use in emergencies. They need to be practiced in dialing an operator or reaching 911. Don’t expect your children to learn these procedures through osmosis, or by watching television. A simple instruction in the uses and capabilities of the telephone are requisite knowledge for all ambulatory children.

The next thing kids need to know is what is considered acceptable. Don’t teach them fear of strangers, rather teach them how to deal with people they don’t know. If someone asks for directions, the child should step back, answer, and leave. If the youngster has any fears or reservations about a contact, they should simply turn and leave. Tell them to trust their intuition; if they feel something is amiss, most often something will be wrong. This radar is certainly not infallible, but safe is better than sorry.

Children must also be told that there are no secrets between adults and children. If your child has been invited or propositioned by an adult, they need to know that telling a trusted adult is their primary course of action. Adults who prey on kids are very imaginative; let your children know this. Don’t let them get lured by lost puppies, candy, or strangers needing help. Again any similar acts or intentions should be immediately reported. Youngsters must also know to report anyone exposing themselves; explain they are not airing their laundry, but posing a threat. Understand I am by no means belittling the possible harm that can come to children, but rather urging you to approach your kids in a secure but relaxed manner. This attitude will help to convince children that they can never be too afraid to confide in you or persons of authority; you are capable of handling these situations.

This brings us to the active role you must play in your children’s safety. If you are an "at home" parent, accompany your youngster to school; if you’re not driving them personally, walk them to the bus stop. Don’t leave them to wait alone; if you can’t walk or wait with them, use the buddy system and have another child walk/wait with yours. If you cannot be with your child during these times, make sure someone is doing this duty on a regular basis.

It’s a good practice to remember or record your child’s clothing daily. Besides their clothes, record unique items in their possession: knapsacks, lunch boxes, hats, glasses and watches. Along with this information, you should also be familiar with the route your child takes to and from his destination. Speak to your kid and make sure he/she takes the same route every day; explain why this is important. Walk this route with and without your youngsters so that this is not uncharted territory.

You are probably aware of your children’s friends at this age, but you should also know the places that interest them. Their walks from school are usually their first forays into independence, so they will be doing quite a bit of investigating and discovering. Familiarize yourself with the points of interest on their route. Know the parks and playgrounds; note the vacant lots or sports fields. Remember any stores, businesses, and construction sites which can be so alluring to a youngster. Check out anything that might be interesting to a kid, so that you know their comfort zone almost as well as they do.

Don’t forget, you also need to have a plan at the times you are with the child in busy or crowded places. Again, make note of their attire, and prepare them for any emergencies. Explain to your kids that it’s easy to get separated in large bustling areas, and they should follow a plan rather than panic. Instruct them to look for uniformed personnel, and to seek out information counters, vendors, or kiosks to report their distress. Inform them of what type of place they’re going to, the general layout, and its purpose, to increase their overall comfort and ability to deal with the unforeseen.

Raising children is a full time job, made harder by the complex rapid pace of our lives. We must prepare our children with information on how to deal with intimidating and unexpected circumstances. The major portion of this task is achieved by informing and warning our kids; educate them of potential dangers without scaring them. While they are armed with this knowledge, we can focus on our part in this plan. Know where your children will be, and be aware of how they will look and act if confronted by any dangers. A combined effort shared with your children is the best way to keep them happy and out of harm’s way.

Jason Ladock

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