Is Your Child a Safe Kid?

By Samantha Wilson

It seems lately that tragedy and turmoil surround us. If it 's not a natural disaster, or violence on a global scale, we're hearing reports of attempted abductions, children injured, bullied or lost. It is understandable that fear is at an all time high. But it's not just the parents that are feeling the stress, it's kids too.

To help your kids overcome the fear and stay safe, you need to catch them being a safe kid. But how? Consider this story:

A ten year old girl was walking home from school. She passed by a car with a man sitting in the driver's seat. As she walked by, he opened the door and told her to get in. She didn't panic, but quickly backed away, ran home and immediately told her mother what had happened.

They called the police and made a report. Later that night, her parent's, frightened at the situation, decided that it was not safe to allow her to walk alone from school anymore.

Would you do the same? Most parents like the one in this story, would decide that the only way to protect their daughter would be to limit her independence. However, this decision is based on their fear, not her abilities.

Children are routinely presented with dangerous situations, much like this one. A safe kid, is confident, self assured, and understands their limitations. A safe kid is not afraid, but empowered by knowledge.

Instead of focusing on the predators actions, these parents should focus on what their daughter did right, praise her for her decision, and encourage her to do it again. Instead of worrying about her safety, they should be relieved to know that she will make a safe choice if she were presented with a similar situation.

Their daughter was tested and passed. Instead of limiting her independence, her safe response to an unsafe situation may actually indicate that she is ready for more.

To help you decide if you have a safe kid, look for events that they have proven both to you and to themselves that they are able to make a safe choice and encourage them to do it again. Over time, fear will be replaced with confidence and empowerment and you will be left with a truly Safe Kid.

© Samantha Wilson
Internationally recognized expert in child and family safety and author of Safe Kids Safe Families, The Babysitters Handbook, and numerous child safety programs, Samantha Wilson is a highly sought after expert and author in the areas of child and family safety, parenting, Internet safety, abduction and proactive preventative safety initiatives. www.kidproofcanada.com