How To Instruct Children About Safety
Children do not naturally understand how to react safely in problematic situations. They must be taught. It is not always easy to talk to children about being safe, but it is an extremely important task. Understanding what to say will help you as you teach them how to care for themselves.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children recommends three areas that children must be taught personal safety. These attributes can help your child stay safe in most situations at home, school or out in the community.
- Smart thinking - Children do not naturally know how to recognize a dangerous situation. They must be taught to recognize and analyze these situations. Then they must understand how to react.
- Strong character - Let children know what type of places they can go and who they can see. As an adult, you understand what places are appropriate and safe places for a child. However, the child must then have the character to listen to the adult and follow their directions.
- Sticking together - Whether swimming, riding bikes or playing in the front yard, children must stick together. This will help keep the child safer if approached by a stranger.
Although there is no perfect age to talk to children about safety, it is important that adults are constantly training children about safety. Use moments where children act dangerously as teachable moments. Instead of yelling at your child for running across the street without looking both ways, use that time to explain to them why they acted dangerously and what they should do the next time.
Kids often act in dangerous ways because they don't understand what they have done. It is the responsibility of adults, especially parents, to help them.