How to Teach Your Children to Protect Themselves from Abduction

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By Janet Ford
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Endangered Missing Child, Lindsey Baum

There are things children of all ages and sizes can do to increase the odds that they will not become a victim of child abduction. As much as you will want to be, parents are not always at their child's side to protect them. Give your child ideas of things they can do to protect themselves.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Time
Safety Whistle

Step 1

Discuss safety rules and ideas with your children

Take the time to sit down with your child and discuss safety. Make sure to keep everything age appropriate and ask often if your child understands everything that you are saying and invite them to ask as many questions as necessary. Have these discussions regularly as your child grows.
Step 2

Prevent child abduction by teaching about strangers

Define the word 'stranger' for your child. If your child is very young, you will need to specify that the only way someone stops being a stranger is when YOU tell your child they are no longer a stranger. This will alleviate confusion. Emphasize the fact that not all strangers are bad or mean them harm but by being a stranger, you don't know that yet and it's their job to stay clear of them until you approve of them.
As your child grows older, teach them to always be wary of strangers and not to allow distractions to permit them to lose focus.
Step 3

Role play. This can help your child remember safety rules and ideas in a fun way that is less intimidating. Make it even more memorable by including their friends in the role playing. As you role play, new questions and scenarios may come up and you can advise your child in how to best react to those different situations. Role play examples of what an abductor may say to them. This will help desensitize your child from the shock factor the potential child predator may be counting on using.
Step 4

Teach them that yelling, kicking and screaming are acceptable. Child predators are less likely to abduct or harm a child who is causing a public scene. Let them know that they should NEVER go quietly as the stranger will likely request.
Step 5

Avoid Walking by Strangers

Teach them to avoid walking by strangers. Walk on the other side of the street if necessary. Also instruct them to avoid walking by parked vehicles as they could easily be grabbed unexpectedly.
Step 6

Give your child a shrill whistle to wear around their neck so they can whistle an alert when they are scared. This is a cheap investment but one that can prove to be priceless. Instruct them on when to use, and not use, their whistle. This may be a good time to read the book 'The boy who cried wolf'.
Step 7

Kicking out tail lights saves lives

Show your child that, in many vehicles, you can actually kick out the tail lights from inside the trunk. If you kick out a tail light, you may be able to get your hand out of that hole and flag for help. Abducted people have been saved by doing this. Show your child where this is located.
Step 8

Teach your child early on that there are certain parts of their bodies that are sacred and that nobody has the right to touch or look at. Also instruct them that they should ALWAYS tattle on anyone who violates them in these ways.

Comments

maraiya said

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on 9/24/2009 Wow. Great article. Every parent should read this and follow it to the letter. 5* and a rec.

AsktheNurse said

on 8/31/2009 Excellent article. I particularly appreciate the tip about the tail lights. Recommended.

gentletouch said

on 8/5/2009 EXCELLENT, INFORMATIVE, AND AN ARTICLE THAT ALL PARENTS SHOULD READ. WE BLESS: YOU, YOUR FAMILY, AND THIS ARTICLE WITH 5* AND A REC. BLESSINGS, gentletouch