|
BUT WHAT CAN
I DO TO HELP KEEP MY CHILDREN SAFE???
Well firstly DON'T WRITE YOUR CHILDREN'S NAMES ON THE OUTSIDE OF
THEIR SCHOOL BAGS OR HATS. This is an invitation to an unscrupulous person to gain
your child's trust.
If your child is going to walk or ride to school, arrange for them to travel with a
group of other students. Better still, walk or ride with them...at least then you know
they have arrived safely (and lets face it we could probably all do with the exercise!).
Ah 'But," I hear you say, "I'm going to drive my
child to and from school, function, friends places, shopping
etc so I won't need to worry about whether they get there safely.
"
Quite right, you will be sure they arrived safely because they will have
left home with you and if your car breaks down or you get a
flat tyre or something else unexpected pops up to delay you,
your children will be right there with you.
What happens though if that unexpected delay happens when you are on your
way to collect your child from School, function, shopping etc?
What can you do to help ensure your child doesn't panic and
get into a car with just anyone who offers them a lift?
You can work out a code word or phrase with your child so if something unexpected does
delay you and you have to send someone else in your place, your child will know if you did
send that person.
How does it work? Easy really. Think up a word or phrase with your child and stress to
your child that he/she MUST keep it secret and not tell anyone even best friends. Of
course it goes without saying that you too keep it secret. Just for an example, you could
use something like "pink and purple spotted elephants". Then if you do need to,
unexpectedly, send someone to collect your child, you tell them the code, when they see
your child they will tell your child the code and then your child will know that you did
in fact send this person and it * is OK to go with them.
Of course always impress upon your child that if someone wants him/her to go with them
and they don't immediately tell your child the code, he/she MUST NOT GO with the person,
but is to run straight back into school and tell a teacher or the office staff what has
happened.
If you do use your code at any time, that night work out a new code, don't reuse the
same code.
Following are just some of the many personal safety strategies we teach children:
IMA's ONE NO - DON'T GO Rule
(for older students we call this "THE BIG 3")
This is simply a series of three questions for your children to ask themselves if ever
they are feeling unsure of a situation.
1 Do I feel safe with this person?
2 Will my parents or guardians know where I
am?
3 Can I get help if I need it?
ONE NO - DON'T GO!!!
SAFETY BUBBLE
Everyone has an area of space around their body which is their Personal
Space. You can invite people into your personal space, if you
want to give someone a hug for example, but if anyone comes
into our personal space uninvited and you feel uncomfortable
then you leave. Don't stay - Just GO!!
uncomfortable then you leave, don't stay, GO!!
SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW OR FEEL UNSAFE WITH
These days it is very confusing for a child to know if a person they don’t
know is safe or unsafe. Again we have three questions for them
to ask themselves if they are uncertain.
1. Do my parents or guardians know this person?
2. Do we visit them? (at their house) 3. Do they visit us? (at our house)
ONE NO - THE PERSON MAY NOT BE SOMEONE
THAT YOU CAN TRUST - DON'T GO!!!
We always stress to children that most people that they don’t
know are good people, but there are some people that they don’t
know who are not good people and you can't tell just by looking
at a person whether they are good or not so you don't go with
any people that they don’t know or may not trust.
To clarify the situation further, explain to your child that
even though you may wave and have a chat to someone down the
street or at the shops, if that person doesn't visit you and
you don't visit them, then they are still a person that they
don’t really know and your child is not to go anywhere
with them.
NETWORK OF TRUSTED ADULTS
We encourage children to draw the outline of their hand on a piece of paper and in
every finger and thumb space, write the name of a trusted adult. A trusted adult is
someone the children know they can speak to about any worries or problems they may have
and who the children know will listen to them and who will give the children help if they
need it.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SECRETS AND SURPRISES
Explain to your children that a surprise is something that makes them feel GOOD, makes
them feel HAPPY, like a surprise birthday party or a surprise trip to the movies.
Also explain that one day someone may ask them to keep a secret that makes
them feel UNHAPPY, it may even be FRIGHTENING .... this is a
secret they MUST NOT KEEP!!! They must tell someone about secrets
that make them feel unhappy or frightened. They tell the people
on their Network of Trusted Adults Tell person number 1, if
they don't understand, tell person number 2, 3, 4, 5, come back
to number 1. Keep telling until they get the help that they
need.
There is nothing so terrible that they can't tell someone about it and get help if they
need it!!! Teach your children to go with their instincts .... if something doesn't feel
right then it probably isn't!!!
Point out Safety Houses to your children when you pass them. Find out about
the Safety House program for yourself and reinforce the personal
safety education your children receive in school at home.
Top |
