When having a baby, especially if a first-time parent, it’s totally normal to feel scared and worried. After all, you’ve suddenly become solely responsible for a tiny human, and it can be extremely daunting if it’s all new to you!
But some degree of worry will likely follow you all the way through to adolescence, as your child’s behaviour will inevitably change consistently as they grow up. And, if you don’t keep up with the times, you may feel your parenting is unsafe and inappropriate for your child’s age. So, to ensure you’re providing the best possible advice you can to keep them safe, here are some sensible safety pointers you may not have considered that could make the world of difference for both you and your kids.
Avoid strangers
In past times, ‘staying away from strangers’ generally only applied to not engaging with people you don’t know when out and about. But with today’s significant advances in technology, online strangers can be virtually anywhere and it’s vital your child understands it’s just as important to avoid speaking to anyone they don’t know online as well as in the street.
Social media is generally the most common method strangers with bad intentions use to infiltrate young teenagers, so make sure your child knows never to accept a ‘friend request’ from someone they don’t know, and to ignore and block any strange messages that may follow. When out and about, offer to drive your child to their destination if it’s far away or dark outside and, if you have a large car like the Dodge Durango, offer to take their friends too so they don’t feel excluded.
Ask permission
As kids grow up and reach adolescence, many crave independence and see themselves as being ‘old enough’ to do what they want. It’s still important to give your kids some degree of freedom as they may grow to resent you if you don’t, but it’s vital you teach them the concept of asking permission from a young age.
This way, they’ll be much more likely to ask before going out with friends or staying late after school, simply because they’ll respect you and will want to check you’re happy with what they’re doing.
Losing you
Particularly appropriate for younger children, if they happen to become distracted and lose you in a public place it’s important they know not to go looking for you. Whilst their first instinct will likely be to scream out for you and search, it’s crucial they stay calm, find a member of staff and inform them that they’ve lost their parent and need help finding you. This will ensure they’re not alone for too long and will have a responsible adult on-hand to help.
But for your perspective, if your child suddenly goes missing when you’re out and about and you don’t find them quickly, be sure to contact your local FBI field office.
Every parent wants to keep their kids as safe as possible, but sometimes they can rebel and not help themselves. This is why it’s vital to teach them these simple safety tips from a young age so they’re fully equipped to be responsible as they get older.