Start Early. Start Young. When and How to Have the Safety Talk with Kids.

 At Savvy Parents Safe Kids, we don’t use scary tactics in our workshops but the truth is there are scary statistics on the number of kids who are being sexually abused right now in your community. It makes me so sad to hear a parent come up after a workshop and say “I wish my mom had taken a workshop like this. She could have protected me”. I am however glad those same parents are being proactive in learning about safety for their kids and not relying on luck to keep their children safe. It only takes a few minutes a day to let you child know that their safety is important. It could be playing the “what if” game in the car or just reminding them that they have the right to say no to anyone who is trying to bully them into breaking a family safety rule. Openness about safety leads to open conversations when things are bothering them.

 At Savvy Parents Safe kids, we know that prevention education is the key to keeping the children in our communities’ safe. Here are some easy beginning tips to help you start talking about safety with your loved ones!

• Start  early and often! Kids as young as one, can learn to point out a “Safe mom with kids”. Make a game of it! Be silly! Have fun finding “safe moms”. Get them familiar with the concept that a “safe mom” will help them if they ever get separated from you.
• Teach young kids to “sing” your cell number
• Teach children to never, EVER leave with someone they don’t know (this could be an adult or another child).
• Remind children to “Check first” before accepting gifts or rides from anyone!
• Model “Safe Grown Up” behavior. Set an example of safety for children. If your  child (or a child you know) is not checking first before accepting  something from you, be the “Safe Grown –Up” who will remind them to “Check  First” with their safe grown up.

About the Author:  Kim Estes is the owner of Savvy Parents Safe Kids and has worked with parents for over 15 years, educating them on various parenting topics. Kim is a certified prevention educator through the National Security Alliance, the Kid Safe Network and is a Darkness 2 Light facilitator. As a Child Safety Expert, Kim has appeared on local and national TV and Radio shows, helping to raise awareness on the importance of prevention education. For more information about her work or to schedule a workshops go to:  www.savvyparentsafekids.com