A guide for parents and their children
Tips to keep children safe from threatening situations
EDMONTON SAFE PARENT
Alberta is one of the safest places in the world to live, work, and play. To help make it even safer for your children, these safety tips have been compiled to help prepare both parents and children to deal with threatening situations.
Have your children practice their full name, full address, and phone number. They should know your full name and work number as well. Make a game of it. Shake their hand and start with “How do you do? I am your mom/dad, who are you?” This game can be started with children as young as two years old.
Create a family secret code. Children should never go with anyone, not even a close family friend, unless they have been told the code. Change the code immediately after it has been used. Make the code easy and fun to remember, such as fluffy pink bunny.
Children should always travel the same way to and from school. They should never take shortcuts. If possible, have them walk in pairs or groups.
If someone follows your child in a car, tell your child to turn around and get away in the opposite direction the car is facing. Run home, to a Safe Parent home, or to the nearest public place such as a school, store, or office. Your child should try to remember what the driver and car looked like or the vehicle’s license plate number. They can take a picture of it with their cell phone.
If your child becomes separated from you in a store or shopping mall, they should go directly to a store employee (the person at the cash register) for help.
Give your child permission to say no to an adult and run away if they are in an uncomfortable position.
NEVER leave a young child alone! An unattended child is a child at risk.
For more information about Safe Parent, please call 780.433.9374, email safeparent@telus.net, or visit www.edmsafeparent.com.
The Edmonton Safe Parent Association is celebrating their 46th anniversary as an organization this year. All Safe Parents are police information checked and offer their homes as a safe haven in an emergency situation when the Safe Parent sign is displayed in a window.
Featured Image: Children are vulnerable, but keep them safe by following a few tips. | Pixabay
