| There has been a huge amount of news recently | | | | anyone. Your child should be taught to ALWAYS |
| involving child abductions, parental | | | | tell you immediately if he or she is |
| abductions, and child abuse. From Natalie | | | | approached by a stranger who asks for help, |
| Holloway in Aruba to Jessica Lundsford in | | | | offers candy/gifts, or frightens him/her in |
| Florida, parents have heard about children | | | | anyway. Your child should know to make you |
| who have been kidnapped and murdered. Then | | | | aware of anytime he or she feels |
| there were the stories of parents who keep | | | | uncomfortable with ANYONE. |
| their children in cages or made them drink | | | | |
| bleach to cleanse them of evil spirits. | | | | 8. If you have an Internet ready computer in |
| | | | the home, put it in a common area and |
| This is very scary stuff. The fact that we | | | | consider using monitoring software like PC |
| live in a world where people will hurt | | | | Tattle Tale. This way you can monitor your |
| children, where even some parents have hurt | | | | children's Internet activities. |
| their own children. We see profiled pictures | | | | |
| of child sexual predators online, in the | | | | 9. Seek alternatives to leaving your children |
| newspaper, and on television almost every | | | | alone at home, in the car or outside. If your |
| week now it seems. | | | | child is a latch-key kid, make sure that he |
| | | | or she knows to keep all doors and windows |
| What is a young parent, or any parent for | | | | locked, never let anyone know that he or she |
| that matter, who cares about their child's | | | | is alone, and never let anyone in the house, |
| welfare and safety to do? Obviously I can't | | | | not even someone claiming to be a police |
| lock my child up somewhere just to keep them | | | | officer or from the fire department. Those |
| safe. Obviously I can't watch them and be | | | | kinds of professionals know to forcibly enter |
| with them 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. | | | | in case of an emergency. |
| What kind of life would that be for me or for | | | | |
| my child. | | | | 10. Teach your children how to use a pay |
| | | | phone without money and how to call 911. Make |
| Obviously I do not want my child to grow up | | | | sure your child learns his or her address and |
| being scared of every stranger she or he | | | | phone number at an early age. A second phone |
| meets. It's not fair to my child to have to | | | | number of a friend or relative is also |
| learn about avoiding child sex predators. | | | | helpful. Teach your child how to make a |
| It's not fair to me to have to learn about | | | | collect phone call, and to begin with |
| something I would rather not ever have to | | | | 'Operator...I'm in trouble; I need your help. |
| think about. | | | | |
| | | | 11. Do not leave a child unattended while |
| At Jennifer's website, and at my website | | | | shopping, visiting with neighbors or friends, |
| these are statements and questions we hear | | | | or running errands. Under no circumstances |
| all the time from young parents. We may not | | | | should you leave a child alone in a car or |
| feel comfortable learning about or discussing | | | | truck. Amusement parks and other large, |
| these topics, but, unfortunately, it is | | | | bustling venues aimed at entertaining |
| necessary. | | | | children can attract predators. |
| | | | |
| Here are some tips you need to know to teach | | | | 12. If you maintain firearms in your home, |
| your child about safety; | | | | use approved trigger locks and keep them |
| | | | safely locked up. |
| 1. Keep a Kidsearch Network Child ID Kit in a | | | | |
| safe place that is accessible 24/7 and update | | | | 13. When your child comes to you with a |
| the photographs and other information every 6 | | | | problem or about someone making them feel |
| months. If you do not have a kit for each of | | | | uncomfortable, make sure that you listen and |
| your children, go to and make one. | | | | do not blame them. |
| | | | |
| 2. Make sure your child always checks with | | | | 14. If your child receives pornography on the |
| you before going anywhere with anyone. | | | | Internet, (Many people who never surf porn |
| | | | still receive it in email), do not |
| 3. Know your neighbors and other adults that | | | | immediately blame your child. Discuss it with |
| have access to your children. Every state | | | | them and explain why it's not allowed and how |
| allows the public to check the criminal | | | | to immediately delete it. Report the sender |
| backgrounds of those who have access to your | | | | to their ISP. Call The Kidsearch Network if |
| children. Go to , then Click on the State | | | | you do not know how and we will do it for |
| you live in to do a Sex Offender Search | | | | you. |
| | | | |
| 4. Know your neighborhood. Show your children | | | | To periodically test your child to see how |
| the safest places to play and areas to avoid; | | | | much they are learning about safety, go here. |
| like alleys and dark stairwells. | | | | |
| | | | |
| 5. Do not advertise your child's name on | | | | Is the Internet a treasure chest of |
| clothing, school supplies or backpacks. | | | | educational opportunities for kids? Or is it |
| | | | a place filled with all sorts of dangers? |
| 6. Get a cell phone or pager for your | | | | |
| teenager. (This one causes me a lot of | | | | The reality, of course, is that it is both. |
| problems. Teenagers use this to get their | | | | The online world can pose a threat to |
| parents to get them a cell phone!) This way | | | | youngsters, ranging from exposure to sexually |
| you can be in contact with them at all times. | | | | explicit material, to stalking, to physical |
| | | | molestation. Disturbing as well is the |
| 7. Make sure your child knows to scream and | | | | proliferation of child pornography. |
| run if approached in an alarming way by | | | | |