As a follow up to last week’s blog, I wanted to cover some safety tips for your children to help decrease their risk of being “TAKEN”.
Here’s a scenario. You have the perfect day planned for your family at the biggest children’s museum in three states. You plan to see all the fun stuff like the dinosaurs, space craft, air planes, water tables and on and on. Your children have been looking forward to the museum for the last three weeks! That day you have every child’s outfit picked out from head to toe. Before going into the museum, you recall reading something about taking a picture of your children in their outfits before you enter into a crowded location. So, you quickly line up your children and snap a cute “cheese-y” photo not really paying attention to how it turned out. You even remember to discuss with your children a location you will meet them at if you become separated.
You take the photo for a couple of reasons. First, the photo shows what clothes your children are wearing that day and secondly the photo is the most up to date photo you have in the event your child become lost or even worse. Your child gets TAKEN! Little did you know there is a fatal flaw in this type of quick, cute picture!? And even more, child abductors are all too prepared to take advantage of it. These evil people come prepared as they know the approximate age and sex of the child they want to abduct. The abductors have with them everything they need to quickly change the appearance of your child – clothes, sun glasses, underwear, coats and a hat. What most of these evil people cannot really plan for is the size of shoe they need for the child. You MUST take a picture your child’s shoe and not just in the quick, cute picture that you took earlier. Take a separate photo to show your child’s ENTIRE shoe including brand. This seems too simple, right? But with the ability of the abductor to quickly change your child’s appearance with clothes, this photo could be the simplest way to identify your child in that terrible moment.
And what do you do when the moment happens that your child is “missing”? When you have done a quick search for your child and you cannot find them? As quickly as possible, you must find an employee. The employee will activate a special code (typically called a code Adam) to all other employees. This code then leads to the exits being closed and security will immediately be contacted along with local police. The pictures of your child and of their shoes will be the most important photos you have ever taken of your child and the best weapon against the abductor!
And what about “Stranger Danger”? Have you taught your children about strangers? It really has not changed much since you and I were kids. One of the challenges of being a parent is teaching your kids to be cautious without filling them with fear or anxiety. Talk to your children OFTEN about safety. Educate them on the basics (age appropriate) on how to avoid and escape potentially dangerous situations.
Teach them to:
- Never accept candy or gifts from a stranger.
- Never go anywhere with a stranger, even if it sounds like fun. Predators can lure children with questions like “Can you help me find my lost puppy?” or “Do you want to see some cute kittens in my car?” or “I am your Mom’s friend and she said I could take you to get some ice cream or candy.” Remind your children that adults they do not know should NEVER ask children to help them or to go do fun things with them.
- Run away and keep screaming “FIRE, FIRE, FIRE” if someone follows them or tries to force them into a car – more on this later.
- Say NO to anyone who tries to make them do something you have said is wrong or touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.
- Always tell you or another trusted adult if a stranger asks personal questions, exposes himself or herself, or otherwise makes them feel uneasy. Reassure kids that it’s OK to tell you even if the person made them promise not to or threatened them in some way.
- Always ask permission from a parent to leave the house, yard, or play area or to go into someone’s home.
- Use a code word for your child if you ever do need to send someone else to pick them up. This can be as simple as the word “pancake”.
Every Child should learn their phone number including area code, their home address and their parents names a soon as possible. 911 is also a very important number to learn even if it is to get help for you! They should know they can feel safe to approach a police officer, fireman and other people you deem safe and want to let them know they can go to for help in the event they do get separated. Keep the information simple and consistent. DO NOT focus on the evils out there in this world, but approach it as a positive activity.
About a year ago I came across a video on YouTube that I think is absolutely brilliant! I believe every parent needs to watch it and teach this technique to their children. And parents, most importantly, need to practice this technique with your children! I taught my children to do this technique and yell “help, not my dad” or “help, not my mom”. This could be the most important technique you teach your children!
A child being TAKEN is the most terrifying scenario any parent could ever imagine!! The unfortunate reality is that we have a growing problem with human trafficking and abduction. In my last blog, I noted in America on average over 450,00 children go missing every year. Think about this! That number is staggering to me. Read and reread this information and use it to keep you and your children safe. I am confident every parent wants to do everything possible to avoid their child from being TAKEN. Your local police departments have more information as well as one of the greatest resources out there www.missingkids.com . Upcoming, I will have updates and further blogs on protecting our families and ways to reduce our families exposures and risks.