While it may seem like a good idea to label your child's things, it may actually give strangers access to private information. When an unfamiliar person addresses a child by their name it will immediately win his or her trust, leading to all kinds of dangerous manipulation. Refrain from putting your little one's name on their backpack, lunch box or thermos in particular. Instead, label their things as follows: "if you've found this backpack, call 555-123-4567."
2. Run away from cars in the opposite direction
It's important to teach our children not to get into cars with strangers. But your child should also learn another rule. If a car pulls up near a child or starts to follow them with people inside attempting to draw attention, inform them that they should run quickly in the direction opposite to the moving vehicle. This should help your child buy enough time to find help.
If your child ever encounters a situation where a stranger tells them to follow them, they'll take them to their mum and dad, inform your child that they must ask the strangers what their parents names are and what's their family password. It is advised that you invent a code phrase for emergency situations. This will be useful when you ask an acquaintance to collect your child from daycare or school. Think of something a little unexpected and hard for another person to guess, like 'fluffy orange'.
4. Install tracking apps
There are apps like Life360 Locator iOS, Android and GPS Phone Tracker iOS, Android that allow you to monitor your child's precise whereabouts and the battery level of their phone.
Purchase a gadget with a built-in emergency button, either in the form of a watch, key chain, bracelet or medallion. A special mobile application allows parents to constantly keep an eye on their child's location and if they press the button, the signal is received by both the parents and the police. To benefit from this, install apps like BuddyTag and Major-GSM Panic.
6. Tell them to shout 'I don't know him/her'
If grabbed by a stranger, inform your child that it is more than okay to behave 'badly'. Bite, kick, claw and try to attract attention at any cost, even if the situation is scary. Inform them that they should shout loudly, 'I don't know him/her! They want to take me away!'
Your child should know that he/she is not obliged to talk to strangers. So if a conversation lasts longer than five or seven seconds, inform them that they should head for a safe location. During a conversation, inform your child to stand at a distance of 6.5 to 8 feet away from a stranger and if they try to come closer, it is important that they should take a step back. Practice this situation with your child showing him or her what a distance of 6.5 feet looks like and stress that it should be kept no matter what.
8. Avoid sharing the elevator with strangers
Inform your child to wait for the elevator with their back to the wall so that they will be able to see others approaching. If entering the lift with a stranger, inform your little one to invent an excuse not to enter with this person. Tell them to pretend that they have forgotten something. If the person persists, tell your child to politely reply: 'my parents say that I should only ride the elevator alone or with our neighbors.' If a child is grabbed with force, inform them to fight, scream and bite until an adult comes to the rescue.
Tell your child that if there's a call at the door and no one can be seen through the peephole, or no one responds to the question 'who's there?' he or she mustn't open the door to see what's going on. It is important that a child mustn't let a stranger know that their parents are away, even if it is a friend or they are a municipal worker. If they're persistent and they try to break in, the child must call their parents or neighbors at once.
10. Never meet online friends in person
Criminals can find their prey on the internet and it is therefore important that your child is aware of what goes on. If someone online describes himself as 'Mike from next door', your child should be aware that this person may not necessarily be the 10-year-old boy he claims to be. Your child must remember never to tell strangers, not even children what their phone number is, address or name. They should also never send personal photos to online pals or tell them when and where he or she likes to hang out. It is essential that they always decline invitations to meet in person too.
