Stranger Danger

[laughingeyes2013]

I've just read a friends FB post with a news article about police warning parents (after a local incident) to teach their children 'stranger danger'.

This got me thinking - what she did you start and how did you pitch it without scaring your kids half to death?!!

Age not 'she'

When my DC1 was 4yo her preschool had a visit from the police and they were given books called "Feeling Happy Feeling Safe" by the Home Office.

I'm just looking in it now and it advises teaching young children as early as possible that their safety is important. It says to try to avoid confusing them but not to be too honest either.

It goes on to advise teaching them not to go off with or talk to anyone, even if they know the person, without asking you/Dad/other family adult.

Also to discuss with them what to do and who to ask for help (someone who works in a shop for example) if they get lost.

Sorry, bit rushed as I'm in the middle of bedtime but I hope this helps.

So many reports of attempted abductions at the moment - really scary!

There was a thing on Daybreak about it a couple of weeks ago - there was really good advice saying that you should get your child to draw a picture of what they think a stranger looks like. Chances are they will draw someone ugly/scary looking, but then the trick is to make them realise that a stranger is anyone that they don't know, even if they are nice and friendly.

My dd is 4 and i read a great article someone on here linked to about "tricky people". That people with bad intentions will be all sweetness and light. More often than not they will be known to the child.

I've taught my dd that "tricky people" will prob ise her name, tell her mummy says its okay etc but that she should never ever go with anyone withoutvtelling me even if its x's daddy from school or uncle so n so.

It sounds terrible but on holiday i got my brother in law to ask her to come swimming with him and my niece/nephew to see what she would do, she ran straight off with him and so we both stopped her and explained she must must must ask me, daddy or a teacher, even if she knows them.

At preschool in june, her friends dad shouted out to her and his dd "come behind this shed and look at this dog" and she ran straight off again. Cue more discussions about asking. Its slowly going in. She knows that if shes lost she can ask a policeman or another mummy or s shopkeeper.

tricky people