Keep Your Children Safe

As a parent, it is your responsibility to keep your children safe from harm, especially from the threat of being kidnapped. This is a subject that I care very much about since I was abducted for a brief time when I was a child. (Maybe I will write an article about it someday.)

When your children are very young it is somewhat easier to be in control of their safety. But as your children get older, they begin to lead busy lives with many after school activities. Since they are not with you all the time anymore, it can become more difficult to keep them safe.

In addition to always knowing where your children are, parents should also know beforehand who their children are with and when they are scheduled to return home.

It is important to discuss the issue of safety with your children. Let them know that the threat of being abducted exists, and about the precautions they should take.

Tell your children to stay with a group and not to wander off by themselves. It is true that there is safety in numbers; your children will be less likely to be abducted if they are not alone.

Even if in a group, your children should be taught to wary of a stranger who attempts a conversation with them, especially if the stranger asks for help. Tell them that they should not help the stranger, but instead call over an adult.

Warn your children to never walk past a vehicle with sliding passenger doors, such as a van or suv, in a parking lot. It is very easy for the sliding door to be opened quickly and have a child grabbed by someone inside the vehicle. (This is a good tip for adults as well.)

Make sure your children know their home telephone number and your cell phone number(s). Allow your children, even the younger ones, to have their own cell phone for emergency purposes. Put your numbers and 911 on speed dial, and teach them how to call and text these numbers. Many cell phones are also equipped with GPS systems. You could also purchase tennis shoes with an integrated GPS tracking device.

Tell your children that, if an attempt is made to physically abduct them, they should not just go quietly. They should try to make as much noise and attract as much attention as possible. If possible they should use their cell phone to call for help.

Parents, please follow these guidelines and do everything you can do to keep your children safe. They are the future of our world.