Safety Guidelines for Parents

• Never leave your child unattended in a car, a shopping cart at the grocery store, in a shopping mall, public restroom or any other public place.
• Never leave young children to supervise other children.
• Teach your child how to use the phone. Teach them his/her own phone number, how to dial "O" operator, teach your child how to use "911" (for those areas that utilize this system).
• Teach your children your first and last name and your address including the city and state, so they can tell the operator or police if they are ever missing.
• Request that your child's school call you immediately if he/she is absent.
• Use a secret word. Make up a secret word to be used when someone other than you is going to pick up your child.
• Keep a complete medical history of your children including any broken bones, scars or chronic medical problems, and keep it in a safe place.
• Keep dental records of your children.
• Keep current photographs of your child. Have them taken each year at school.
• Teach your children the 3 things that determine a stranger: Do I know this person's name? Do I know where this person lives? Have I seen this person before? If they answer no to any of these questions, treat that person as a stranger.
• Teach your children never to take anything from a stranger, even if it's the ice cream man, delivery person, gardener, paper boy, school bus driver, if they answer no to any of the "stranger" questions above.
• Teach your child never to get into a car, or go into anyone's house or garage if they don't know them, or without your permission.
• Teach your children that no one (uncle, grandfather, neighbor, etc.) has the right to touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Teach your children that they can say NO to an adult. It is better to be safe than sorry.
• Have fingerprints made of your children and keep them in a safe place.
• Always know where your child is, even if they are only playing next door.
• Never put your child's name on the outside of his/her clothes. This could put them on first name basis with a potential abductor.
• Always call and make sure there is an adult at your child's destination of play, and ask them to call you if he/she does not arrive in a reasonable amount of time. This not only makes you sound like a concerned parent, but will teach other parents as well.
• Teach your child at an early age to call and let you know if they are going to be late, even if it's only a few minutes.
• Set boundaries for your children at play. Small children should not be allowed to play more than a few houses away from home. Know your children's friends and their parent's names, where they live and phone number.
• Report all suspicious people or cars in your neighborhood, including that nice ice cream man who gives extra candy to those children without money.