Tricky People

Tricky People

A mom overseas says two words kept her kids safe from a potential abduction, but those words were not “Stranger Danger.”  Instead she teaches them to beware of “Tricky People.”  It’s all spelled out on the blog Safely Ever After.

Knowledge Is Power

1. Remind your children safe grownups don’t ask kids for help.
2. Never leave young children unsupervised .. Not even for a minute.
3. Replace the word stranger with tricky person.  It’s not what someone looks like, it’s what they say or want to do with a child that makes them unsafe or tricky.
4. A tricky person can be someone you know well .. or not at all.
5. Listen to your child. If they don’t want to be around a particular person, they may be getting a red flag signal from them.
6. Be mindful of settings where older children have a lot of privacy with younger children.
7. Practice personal safety strategies with your kids, like what to do if they get lost in a store.
8. Do NOT write your child’s name on the outside of any personal belongings.
9. Older children should always use the buddy system.
10. The uh-oh feeling – Trust your instincts & let your child know it’s okay to trust theirs.
11. Establish a family rule: No Secrets Allowed.
12. Let children decide for themselves how they want to express affection.
13. Spend time with your kids.  Children starved for affection can be especially vulnerable to a predator’s tricks.
14. Volunteer at your child’s school so they’ll feel safe coming to you.
15. Develop strong communication skills.
16. Teach safety concepts in a loving, easy-going manner.  Scare tactics can be counter-productive.