Kids Self-Defense: Stranger Danger

Video Transcript

"Today for kid's safety, I'd like to address the subject of stranger danger. We've talked about how other people who you don't know well can be a danger to you. We've talked about how people that make you do things that are uncomfortable or things that they're doing that make you uncomfortable; those can be a danger as well. Also somebody who is older than you asking you for help; those people are potentially dangerous because as an adult they should not be asking children for help. Anyone who is in real need of assistance or is really looking for some help, they are not going to be offended by a child who says "no thank you, I can't help you". They will go and seek out help somewhere else. Some of the things that a stranger might do that would lure a child to them; and this is where kids need to be aware of these things. Is that they like to play tricks; they like to get the children away from the main group that they are with. Say you're at the park or what have you, and a stranger might come up to you and say "hey, why don't you come see the kittens I have in my car". Or it might be dogs, or it might be ferrets, or it can be any kind of a cute little cuddly animal. The other thing can be food; food's a big enticer for children. "I've got some candy over here, why don't you come with me", you know that type of a thing. Their facial expressions, their body language, they're going to be very charming; they're going to be very nice. They are going to seem extremely friendly to the kids. So you need to really think about how you want to stay away from those people. The other things that they like to do are scare tactics, "your mom's been in an accident, I need to take you to the hospital", "your mom and dad told me to come pick you up and that way I can come take you and you can go see them". Family passwords are important in that respect because you can teach your children that you don't go with anyone unless we have told you that they have the family password. So if you have somebody come up to you, maybe you recognize them, maybe you don't. But if they ask you to come with them because your mom and dad said to, simply say "well, what's the family password?? If they don't know it, then you have to say ?I have to go". So keep in mind some of the things that strangers might do to lure your child away with them. Keep in mind these things so that you can help your kid keep safe."