One of the worst nightmares of parents is that our children can be kidnapped by malicious people who can harm them. Parks and other public places where children tend to go are places of greater risk, but key moments such as leaving school or any extracurricular activity must also be taken into account.
Unfortunately, it cannot always be avoided, but we can put into practice a series of recommendations so that both you and your children know how to act, 15 essential keys to prevent child abduction .
15 essential keys to prevent child abduction
It is a talk that we must have with a lot of left hand to avoid being scared or feeling threatened, but it is essential that our children have certain basic safety rules well internalized to avoid a possible kidnapping.
What should we teach children to avoid kidnapping?
- 1) Do not talk to strangers without the company of an adult . The most basic and obvious rule.
- 2) Teach him to distrust . Under no circumstances should you be fooled with candy, toys, gifts, animals or other tricks that can be used with it. Not even from someone who knows his name.
- 3) Teach him that when an adult approaches him for help, a question or an offer, he should go to mom or dad (or the person who is caring for him).
- 4) Teach him that he should never get into a stranger’s car or go anywhere with him.
- 5) If someone tries to kidnap you, they have to scream, kick and try to escape .
- 6) If for any reason, you are going to move away from where you are to throw a paper or to look at anything, you should notify the adult who is taking care of you.
- 7) Teach your child to ask for help if they feel bullied.
- 8) The “key word” method : a good idea is to have a key word or phrase as a secret password that only trusted people in the family know who can pick up the child at any given time. This would prevent that in an environment with people around, an unknown person can take a child as if it were an acquaintance. It is not infallible, but it is one more obstacle.
- 9) If you get lost, it is convenient that your full name, address, telephone number and the name of your parents be known so that in case of problems you can go for help and identify yourself.
- 10) If your child is young, it is advisable for him to get used to always going hand in hand and not be separated in places with a lot of crowds.
What should we do as parents to avoid kidnappings
Most of the children who are abducted by a stranger have run away or have had a misunderstanding with their parents about where they were supposed to be, therefore it is very important to be clear about certain guidelines:
- 11) Always accompany the child . Never leave him alone without the supervision of a responsible adult until he is old enough to go alone in the street.
- 12) When leaving school or any extracurricular activity, if you are not going to be the person to pick them up, make it clear to both your child and the school who will be that adult who is going to pick them up.
- 13) Agree with your child a protocol for action in case of emergency . For example, if he misses a meeting point, or if he has problems, tell him to go to a policeman or a security guard.
- 14) If for any reason you are late looking for your child, let him know that under no circumstances should he leave the school or the place where he is until you arrive.
- 15) If there is any suspicion, call the emergency numbers.
Photo | gpointstudio – www.freepik.es and iStockphoto
In Babies and more | How to protect our children from sexual predators and what signs should alert us
