When your child was growing up, you taught her the danger of talking to strangers. Now that she's a teen, you need to deliver positive messages instead of scaring her. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that in cases involving long-term kidnapping, when the child is found alive, 85 percent of the victims did not consider the kidnapper to be a stranger.
Safety Reminders
Don't preach to your child. This method of discussion forces most teenagers to ignore your important message. Instead, keep the conversation open and offer to answer any questions. General rules worth following and reinforcing include:
Practice Privacy
Gaming sites, social networking sites and instant messaging provide instant access to friends. Unfortunately, these technologies put your child at risk. Common sense safety practices should be used by your teen when she surfs the net.
Parents of teenagers should establish an open line of communication regarding safety and danger from strangers.
 | Teaching stranger safety activities to children about the dangers of strangers may seem like an easy task, but don't be fooled. Here are some stranger safety activities and tips on helping kids stay safe and what to do if a stranger approaches them. |
 | If you want to protect your child from exploitation, practice stranger danger games. Role play the following situations with your child. These will teach your child about the various strategies that strangers use to kidnap and exploit children. |
 | Teaching preschool stranger danger will help your child practice safety techniques if he is approached by a stranger. Child safety is more than telling your child "Don't talk to strangers." It includes practicing or role playing rules for staying safe. |
Find out about the shortcomings in stranger danger programs and what you can do to help keep your child safe. |
Stranger anxiety can be tough on parents and on relatives and friends who feel rejected by a baby. Use these strategies to make your baby feel comfortable. |
