Keeping Our Children Safe in an Unsafe World

Safety Tips for Children

• I will always check with my parents first.
• I will always play or go places with at least one other person--not alone.
• I will trust my feelings. If something feels wrong, it is wrong.
• I will put physical distance between myself and whatever is making me feel uneasy.
• I know that certain people that I don't know can help me out of dangerous situations: women, moms with kids, older kids, police officers in uniform, or clerks in a store.
• I know that my body belongs to me.
• I will walk and play in places my parents approve of. I will avoid areas like alleys or dark stairwells.
• I will not talk to, accept gifts, or rides from adults I do not know without my parent's permission.
• I will always lock my home and car doors. I will not admit that I am home alone.
• I will learn to dial 911. I will learn my address and phone number. I will learn to use the pay phone without money.

(Reprinted with permission from Marc Klaas and the KlaasKids Foundation. Copyright 1994.)

Safety Tips For Parents

• Maintain current addresses and phone numbers of your children's friends.
• Know your neighbors. Every state allows the public to check the criminal backgrounds of those who have access to your children. Just contact local law enforcement.
• Know your neighborhood. Show your children the safest places to play and areas to avoid; like alleys and dark stairwells.
• Do not advertise your child's name on clothing, school supplies or backpacks.
• Get a cell phone or pager for your child. This way you can be in contact with them at all times.
• If you have an Internet ready computer in the home, put it in a common area and consider using blocking software like Net Nanny. This way you can monitor your children's Internet activities.
• Seek alternatives to leaving your children alone at home, in the car, or outside.
• Teach your children how to use a pay phone without money, and how to call 911.
• If you maintain firearms in your home, use approved trigger locks and keep them safely locked up.
• Be a role model to your children. Listen and talk to your children, encourage them not to keep secrets, and settle arguments with words, not violence.
• By promoting your child's self-esteem and letting them know that you love them for who they are, you will teach them the self-confidence they need to avoid drugs and crime.

(Reprinted with permission from Marc Klaas and the KlaasKids Foundation. Copyright 1994.)