As parents, our primary job is to keep our children safe and protected. One of the ways we can do this is by coaching our kids about the risks faced with strangers.

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Questions and Answers about Kids and Safety

Child: How can I tell who is a stranger?

Parent: A stranger is someone that you or your family is not very familiar with. While many strangers are good folks, there are those who are not. That is why you need to be careful about your safety. A bad stranger may not look mean. He or she may even dress and talk nice. Because we cannot tell if a person is mean or nice simply by how he looks, it is important to be careful when you are around all strangers.

Child: How can I be careful around strangers?

Parent: These are the signs that tell you a stranger (or even someone you know) may be dangerous. These include if a grownup or someone older than you:

• tells you not to obey Mom or Dad
  
  
• tells you to come close to his or her car or get into it, come into his or her home or do something without first getting permission from Mom or Dad
  
  
• asks you not to tell anyone about something and to keep it a secret
  
  
• asks you for directions or help
  
  
• touches you in a way that makes you feel  uneasy, awkward or uncomfortable

Child: What should I do if someone does any of these things?

Parent: If a stranger asks you for help, go immediately to a grown up whom you know and tell them about it. If you think you are in danger, say, “no!”, run away and yell as loud as you can! Then, go to a grownup whom you know, or a police officer, a storekeeper or woman with children and tell them what happened.

Child: What if I make a mistake and think a grownup is dangerous? What if I scream, “no!”, then run, and yell and that person is really not bad?

Parent: Even if you are mistaken, it is better to be safe than sorry. If you think you are in danger, you do the right thing by running away and alerting other grownups. I will never be angry with you about it. I will be proud that you tried to protect yourself!

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Summary: Parents need to educate children about strangers and danger risks. Follow this discussion between a child and his mom brought to you by the insurance pros at PRIME Insurance Agency.