| 1. Listen to your child/children. Pay attention to what | | | | are not in place. |
| they are telling you or trying to tell you. Far too | | | | 7. Get to know your children's friends and their |
| often parents are too busy or distracted to listen to | | | | parents. This is especially important if your child is |
| what their children are trying to tell them. Don't make | | | | going to be spending time at another child's house. |
| this critical mistake!!! | | | | There is nothing strange about setting up a time for |
| 2. Teach your child what her phone number and | | | | you, as parents, to meet and discuss any |
| address are. This is crucial for basic child safety. | | | | expectations you might have regarding the visit, i.e. |
| 3. Make time for your kids. If you share your time | | | | that a parent will be in the home with the children at |
| with your children, you will create the trust it may | | | | all times. You might also consider - and I recommend |
| take for them to open up to you and share | | | | - getting "The Child Abuse Prevention Letter" |
| something that might be bothering them. | | | | 8. Tell your children that you love them. Explain that |
| 4. Trust your instincts. Nothing is as powerful as a | | | | there is nothing that he or she could do or tell you |
| parental instinct. If you have a suspicion, err on the | | | | that would make you stop loving them. This allows |
| side of safety and trust your instinct. | | | | children the freedom to tell you anything that has |
| 5. Teach children about boundaries. It can be | | | | happened to them that they may be embarrassed or |
| somewhat uncomfortable, but teaching a child about | | | | ashamed of. Predators know that they can trick a |
| what is appropriate and inappropriate play, touching, | | | | child into believing that she or he is at fault for being |
| etc., can be the difference between an empowered | | | | molested. Sadly, very often this trickery works and |
| child who can ask for help and a child who is far too | | | | children blame themselves completely for what is |
| trusting. This "trusting" nature of an innocent child | | | | happening to them. |
| could lead to him/her becoming a victim of a child | | | | 9. Keep several current color pictures of your child on |
| predator, for example. To learn if there are convicted | | | | hand if an emergency situation arises. Usually a |
| molester's living near you, get a FREE ZIP CODE | | | | picture from the shoulders up works best. Complete |
| SEARCH | | | | the "Child ID" Form and keep it in a safe place. |
| 6. Make rules about safety and enforce them! For | | | | 10. For more information on this and other tips, |
| example, if a child knows that he may not play | | | | strategies and guides to keeping yourself, your |
| outside of his yard without asking for permission, you | | | | family, and your property safe, Click Here Now. |
| are helping yourself and your child. Firstly, you are | | | | · Please note: These tips are provided as |
| sending a message to your child that you care about | | | | recommendations to help protect our nation's children. |
| her safety and surroundings while at the same time, | | | | The Guardian Company and/or its' Associates makes |
| you are helping yourself to quickly identify a | | | | no guarantee that these tips will insure your child's |
| "suspicious situation" if the agreed upon boundaries | | | | safety. |