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Dear
Parents, Guardians, Teachers, and Caregivers,
As responsible, caring adults we
teach our children guidelines for bike, water
and street safety. Because of this instruction,
our children become more knowledgeable,
confident and secure in ways they can protect
themselves around bicycles, swimming pools and
crosswalks. Personal safety can be approached in
the same straight-forward matter-of-fact manner.
Here are some ideas that will help you to feel
comfortable as you talk with your children about
personal safety. |
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Teach your child that most adults touch children
in appropriate ways, but sometimes a grown-up
could get "mixed-up" and not make good
decisions about touching children. There are
certain things that all adults and other
children should not do. "No one should
touch or look at the private parts of your body,
or make you touch or look at their private
parts." Stress that this rule applies to
everyone, not just strangers, but the people we
know really well too. Tell your child that if
that ever happens , he/she can say
"No", "Get away", and tell a
grown-up right away. Reassure your child that
he/she can tell you whenever they have a
safety problem.
Help your child to develop an appropriate
vocabulary for the parts of the body. Children
who have learned only slang or family terms
might be too embarrassed to ask for help or
could have a difficult time expressing
him/herself clearly. A possible alternative for
medical terminology might be "private body
parts" or the "parts of the body
covered by a swimsuit or underwear".
Studies have shown that parental instruction
helps to decrease children's vulnerability to
victimization. |
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An
Informed Child Is A SAFER Child!
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1.
Talk to your child about personal safety when
you talk about other types of safety.
You
can say. "Just as fire safety rules keep
you safe around fire, and bicycle safety rules
keep you safe on your bike, personal safety
rules help keep you safe around other
people."
2.
Repeat simple personal safety guidelines
often:
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Your
body belongs to you and you decide who
touches your body and how you get touched.
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The
touching rule, (for young children) No
one should touch your private body parts
except to keep you clean and healthy. (for
older children) No one has the right to
touch your private body parts except for
health reasons.
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Your
private body parts are the parts of your
body covered by your bathing suit or
underwear.
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If
someone breaks the touching rule you can
say "no", "get away",
and tell a grown-up.
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Never
keep secrets about touching.
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It's
never your fault if somebody breaks the
touching rule with you.
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Personal
safety rules apply to everyone, all the
time!
3.
Establish your own set of family personal
safety rules.
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You
can say "NO" to anyone who
breaks one of our family safety rules. I
will back you up!
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You
can ride in a car with _____or_____, but
not with anyone else without asking first.
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Do
not let others know if you are home alone.
4.
Play "What if" / "What would
you do?" games to practice decision
making.
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What
if you are playing (even if it is
someplace you aren't supposed to play) and
a man or woman tries to make you get into
their car?
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What
if you and I get separated at a shopping
mall?
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What
if someone we know really well (give
examples such as the baby-sitter, cousin
or friend) touches you in a confusing way
and asks you to keep it a secret? Practice
naming several trusted adults your child
can tell when they need help.
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What
if another person offers you money (or
something you really want) if you will
break one of the family safety rules?
5.
Help children develop assertiveness skills.
Practice responding verbally-
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"I
don't want to be tickled!"
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"Leave
me alone!"
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"I'm
not allowed to do that!"
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"NO!
Stop that! Don't do that!"
(non-verbally)
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Moving
or running away, standing tall, shoulders
back, looking the other person in the eye,
and removing someone else's hand from your
body.
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