How to Teach Children to be Cautious of Strangers

Teaching children to be cautious of strangers can be a life-saving lesson. Children are abducted every day around the world. You can protect your child by teaching them not be trusting of strangers in every situation. It can take some time to teach your child, but the result is well worth the effort.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Explain to your child why you are going to teach them to be cautious of strangers. Children are smarter than many adults give them credit for, and if you explain your reasoning, that’s a good way to broach the subject.

2. Give your child real world scenarios. By doing so, you will help your child better understand what you expect out of them. A child will always learn better when given examples. Explaining scenarios to your child in which that can’t relate won’t be a successful method.

3. Decide on a plan of action. If your child is confronted by a stranger, give them a specific routine to follow. Include both the dialog and the action the child is supposed to take. For example, you can tell your child to say they aren’t allowed to talk to strangers and then they are to contact you right away.

4. Repeat the lessons often. Teaching a child to be cautious of strangers isn’t a one time event. You’ll need to reinforce the lesson often to make sure they understand and remember what you have told them.

Tips & Warnings

• Test your child sporadically to assure that they remember your teachings.
• Remember to tell your children to always respect authority figures such as teachers and police officers.