Brite Music’s Safety Kids is one of THE best resources you can use to teach your kids personal safety. It comes with three volumes. Volume 1 is Personal Safey, vol 2 is about protecting yourself from drugs and vol 3 is about pornography. All very important things that our children need to protect themselves from. They use songs and coloring books to help kids learn. My kiddos LOVE them!
After I took my self defense course, I came home and did an entire school day devoted to personal safety. In addition to Safety Kids Volume 1, this is what we discussed (my own ideas in addition to the ABC Home Preschool Curriculum for 4 year olds)
-If a grown up is not Mom and Dad’s friend, then they are NOT your friend. And if they haven’t been to your house for dinner, they are not Mom and Dad’s friends.
-Never eat or drink anything or take any kind of medicine without your parents’ or a trusted adult’s permission.
-Always buckle your seat belt and lock your car door.
-Never tell anyone over the phone that you are home alone, and never open the door to strangers when you are home alone.
-Never talk to strangers, and beware of anyone trying to give you candy, gifts, or money, or asking you to help them find a lost dog or cat.
-Always tell your Mom or Dad where you’ll be playing, and never play in parking lots, empty buildings, or alleys.
-Adults do not usually ask children for directions or help. If someone asks you for directions back up away from the car scream “Ask an adult and run the opposite way the car is pointing. Always know a neighbor you can go to on your way to and from school, the playground or the park.
-If someone is following you on foot or in a car, go to a place where there are other people – to a neighbor’s home or into a store and ask for help. Do not go near the car to talk to anyone inside and do not try to hide behind bushes.
-Do NOT get in a car or go anywhere with any person unless your parents have told you that it is okay. Your child should learn in whose car he is allowed to ride. Warn your child that someone might try to lure him into a car by claiming you said to pick him up; tell him never to obey such instructions. Instead, he should go back to the school for help.
-If someone tries to take you somewhere without your parents’ permission, quickly get away from him or her and scream, “This person is not my parent!”
-If you get separated from your parents in a public place, go to a checkout counter, security office or lost and found area. Tell the person in charge that you need help finding your parents.
-If someone wants to take your picture, say NO and tell your parents.
-If someone touches you and you don’t feel comfortable about it, tell your mom, dad or an adult friend; keep telling people until you are sure someone believes you.
-Tell your Mom or Dad if an adult asks you to “Keep a secret.”
-In general, a secret should ALWAYS include Mom or Dad (preferably both unless a birthday is involved).
-Teach child to dial 911.
-If an outside door has a lock on it, it is meant to be locked.
I also reiterated how no one is allowed to touch anything that is covered by their underwear. I also took it a step further and told them that if one of their friends tells them that someone is touching them, that they need to tell me or Dad right away. Even if it the parent. As hideous the idea of a parent molesting their child is, it happens and they need to be prepared.
I quizzed them on everything and continue to quiz them.
After I went over all of this with my kiddos we went out in the back yard and practiced. I grabbed my kids and they had to use whatever means necessary to get away from me. They screamed (Emma’s a good screamer, she keeps going), bit, kicked and scratched. As I was carrying them around the back yard I had to yell (in order for them to hear me over their screams) to them what to do “Kick me! Bite my arm! Punch! Don’t be afraid to fall on the ground!” They did really well. When they are feeling better (four out of four kids have thrown up since Monday) I’ll have Matt take them out to do the same thing. They need to practice.
I mentioned it to a police officer in the self defense class and he said that was an excellent way to teach your kids. So there you go. Cop approved.
Personal Safety 101 for Kids
