Safety tips for kids out and about

[mamadadawahwah]

I am taking a course on child safety. So many things I have learned. I wanted to know if other people have tips too. One thing i learned is that you SHOULD NOT put your childs name in the back of his/her coat. someone could come along take his coat and say "hey johnny", "i am uncle Mickey and I have come to take you home. Now get in the car.

I never thought of that. Man its scary out there.
I would really like to hear other mothers ideas for child safety in this "area".

this is hardly a tip, but where i live, and i still find incredible, is that women leave their prams with brand new babies, in the front of shops. They go in for a carton of milk, and leave the pram at the door "where they can see it". I always complain (quite good at that) to them that anyone could take their child. They then look at me like i am a child snatcher. They dont listen. Whats wrong with them? I would NEVER leave my child anywhere.

Yet another comment, hardly a tip but people still leave their kids in parked cars. There was a case in the states last year where a man left his daughter in the back of the car all day. She was only 18 mos. He usually didnt take his child to the sitters but this day he did. Because his routine had changed, he forgot about her and left her there all day in the July sun. The car had those blacked out windows and nobody could see in. A lady across the street who was looking at the car all day, didnt realise until afterwards there was a dying child in the car. She said it ruined her life. He went to prison.

I think you can buy cheap child ID bracelets in case your child gets lost. Rather than putting the child's name on them you can just put your mobile phone no (if you have one). That way you can be contacted without people knowing your child's name.

Yes id bracelet good, though my ones would lose it in a week. Another idea is a code word. Each child gets his/her own code word only to be used in the most dire of emergencies (and of course you must explain meaning of dire). This code is known only between you and the child. NOt best friends, not aunt sally, only you and child.

Buy excellent disposable ID bands (for wrists, clothes loops etc) from GLTC. Can't recommend them highly enough. Very hard wearing, you can change info, e.g. mobile no to call, and they are very noticeable. Developed with the Police so they also know what they are.
I only ever put surname in clothes.
There are more sophisticated systems such as GPS tracking, periphery alarms for doors, garden fences etc mostly for children with SN.

When we used to go on toddler group trips one of the organisers used to print labels with her mobile number on and we stuck them on the backs of all the kids.

Whenever we go to anywhere like an amusement park or beach where it could be crowded the kids both wear t shirts that say "If you find me call.." and my mobile phone number. It wouldn't stop them being abducted obviously, but it does mean that we won't be the subject of those announcements you get at fetes. "has anyone lost a little boy in a red t-shirt" and hopefully we will be reunited as quickly as possible. I feel it's more useful than a wristband because people don't necessarily have to get too close to read it, which they may not be able to do anyway with my autistic ds. We originally made one for him as he is non-verbal but dd is still happy to wear one. Luckily we haven't had to test it yet!

I'm a health & safety person as well as a mum ! & I have been thinking about setting up some sort of child safety website. There seems to be lots of them in the US but not many here. Any thoughts anyone (just for general help & ideas - not to make money or as a rival to MN I must add).

Or is there enough interest to have a Safety Topic on here ? I would gladly contribute on a regular basis if people (Mumsnet team ?) think its worthwhile. Links to good safety products / education stuff & general ideas perhaps ??

We've told our boys (7 and 4) that if they get lost/separated from us when we're out to look for a family ie. a couple with children. Not single men. I'd like to be able to say "find a policeman" but unfortunately these days they are few and far between! The wrist band/t-shirt with a mobile phone number is an excellent idea.

Or a woman with children

Whizz, I would LOVE to see a site like that. Rival mumsnet all you want, it really needs to be done. I talk about safety all the time to my other parent friends and get poo pooed some times. But i spent a lot of time in North America and am so wary of "strangers" round my kids. Living in big cities anywhere is a scary place and with a bit of good advice you could make a huge difference to the long term safety of your children.

I hate it when DS (Autistic too) goes on a trip and has a sticker stuck on his back, I think its awful nad kind of disrespectful. I'm happy with our bands, they are noticeable. Otherwise I have used those ID badges that DH gets when he goes to some meetings, just print or write a new card, but I wouldn't put it on his back.

Any more thoughts anyone about whether Safety tips would either be welcome on here or on my own website ? Glad of any opinions.

davros, i think the only reason they go on their back is so the child can't remove it. 'out of sight, out of mind' approach (label, not child)

Our t-shirts are very stylish, honest! It's not like putting a baggage label on him.

Also, I think that nowadays people (especially men) are reluctant to approach a distressed child in case their intentions are mis-read. There is nothing to stop them taking out their mobile and calling a clearly visible number if they are concerned.

I realise that Auntyquated, I still don't like it. Maybe it makes me more uncomfortable with kids with SN as it seems a bit like treating them like baggage (which mine is often!)

My NT daughter wears one too. She likes it!

My mother made my sisters and me wear high visibility jackets when we we were younger when we went on holiday with huge crowds.It meant that she could spot us easily.

Plus she always used child reins and straps to stop us running around.

Zombie thread