May/June 2010 Parent Tip on Safety
This month's parent tip is on safety in regards to strangers, the internet as well as staying safe with people your children already know. The reality is that a stranger harming your child is more statistically rare than someone harming your child who she/he already knows. Either way, however, there are precautions you can take to be proactive with equipping your child with the tools to use in case there is an unsafe situation occuring.
In terms of strangers, it is important for you to talk to your child about the "What ifs..." as I call them. For example, "What if someone asked you to help them find their kitten or puppy?" "What would you do?" Teach your child not to go anywhere or do anything without your permission. Talk to your child that although most people will not harm them, there are some adults who will try and trick them into going somewhere with them and doing something unsafe. It is important to role-play scenarios with your child and try and test their knowledge about not revealing any personal information over the phone, not going anywhere without permission, not answering the door without an adult and not allowing strangers to get too close to them without a trusting adult.
In terms of the internet, always have your computer in a busy and public room in the house. Let your child know that he/she is never to give out any personal information to anyone on the computer that they don't know in person. Let your child know which websites are appropriate and which ones are not. Tell them to not fill out surveys or enter contests without your permission.
In regards to people your child knows or sort of knows, let them know that your child still needs to always ask permission first before going anywhere with anyone-even someone they know well. It is also important to go over the Touching Rule and Safety Steps that we teach at St. Joseph School from the Talk About Touching curriculum by Committee for Children. The Touching Rule is "Noone can touch your private body parts except to keep you clean and healthy." The Safety Steps are when someone tries to break the Touching Rule or is unsafe they need to 1) Say words that mean no, 2) Get Away, and 3) Tell a grown-up.
Some great website on safety are http://media-awareness.ca, www.netsmartzkids.org
www.thesafeside.com. For more resources, please call me at 206-329-3260 X220 or email at [email protected].
Thanks!
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor
School Counselor
In terms of strangers, it is important for you to talk to your child about the "What ifs..." as I call them. For example, "What if someone asked you to help them find their kitten or puppy?" "What would you do?" Teach your child not to go anywhere or do anything without your permission. Talk to your child that although most people will not harm them, there are some adults who will try and trick them into going somewhere with them and doing something unsafe. It is important to role-play scenarios with your child and try and test their knowledge about not revealing any personal information over the phone, not going anywhere without permission, not answering the door without an adult and not allowing strangers to get too close to them without a trusting adult.
In terms of the internet, always have your computer in a busy and public room in the house. Let your child know that he/she is never to give out any personal information to anyone on the computer that they don't know in person. Let your child know which websites are appropriate and which ones are not. Tell them to not fill out surveys or enter contests without your permission.
In regards to people your child knows or sort of knows, let them know that your child still needs to always ask permission first before going anywhere with anyone-even someone they know well. It is also important to go over the Touching Rule and Safety Steps that we teach at St. Joseph School from the Talk About Touching curriculum by Committee for Children. The Touching Rule is "Noone can touch your private body parts except to keep you clean and healthy." The Safety Steps are when someone tries to break the Touching Rule or is unsafe they need to 1) Say words that mean no, 2) Get Away, and 3) Tell a grown-up.
Some great website on safety are http://media-awareness.ca, www.netsmartzkids.org
www.thesafeside.com. For more resources, please call me at 206-329-3260 X220 or email at [email protected].
Thanks!
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor
School Counselor