Has Stranger Danger Been forgotten?

As I waked to the school this morning with the kids I heard one of them say you cant talk to anyone and the other one say i'm not talking to anyone in that game they were talking about there iPad I have always drummed it into them they're not aloud to add just anyone into there games and if some one adds them they they have to show mummy first before accepting them. I repeated to them they should not talk to anyone that they don't know, then came the questions what about kids what about a man with a dog the list went on they didn't seem to understand the concept of not talking to people then I sat back and thought about what I was saying to them if they were to see a policeman they wouldn't know him but if they were lost I would want them to talk to him.

Has stranger Danger been forgotten? I think that the concept behind stranger danger is still there but it needs to be taught in different ways, media campaigns on this subject seems to have slowed right down, the media and in our schools are so hot about teaching Our children about being safe online and being careful what they share and whom they talk to to protect them from online predators, stranger danger or at least the concept of it, on the streets seems to of somewhat been forgotten. Now maybe because over some years this is due to the decline of parents who will actually let there children play out side on the front with there bikes or play on the park that is probably across the way from there home, As parents we all know why we don't want our children playing outside in the street alone or why we don't let them do things that our parents let us do, but ask yourself do your children know? I mean really understand?

I don't agree with the stranger danger alone as I said above stranger danger just doesn't quite sit right anymore because essentially if your child was in a dangerous situation being afraid to talk to people around them could put them in more danger. I believe that teaching your child about dangerous situations in stages makes more sense than the outdated stranger danger message as it can be split into sections and this is how I would teach my own children here are my top tips for keeping them safe you can never be to careful with children.

Avoid making personalised items too obvious, - school bags, packed lunch boxes , book bags when you label them think about where your child's name is going to go put them on the inside of the item rather than on the outside for all too see avoid named t-shirts or football shirts with there full name across the top if a child thinks an adult knows there name already it can give them a sense of trust and the adult come across as more friendly.

Establish a code/secret word, - this is something that I taught my boys a few years ago when they started going to the nursery for after school club we have a secret word and any adult that is approaching them or says they have got to take them home must know the secret word if they don't the boys know not to go with them.

Teach them not to have body secrets, - I personally hate that I have to teach my children this but I have always taught them that their private parts are theirs and only they should touch them if anyone else does they should tell mummy straight the way also if they are made to touch anyone else's they know its wrong and should follow the same rule. they also know that they shouldn't keep secrets its a good way to make sure children are always open about things.

If they are in danger alert someone,  - the obvious of course would be a policeman but of course these are not always to hand so the next best thing I would suggest is to approach a mum with young children generally mums are on the ball or to run in to a shop/shop keeper - most shops will have CCTV these days so the chances are they are going to be safe.

Teach them to fight back, - I would always want my children to know this that if someone was actually trying to take them away or hurt them they should fight back kick, scream, bite whatever it takes to grab peoples attention.

Let others know that they are in danger, - how many times have you walked past a child that is having a meltdown or screaming having a tantrum and you haven't paid a bit of attention to them, teach your children to shout things like he/shes  is a stranger or to shout I want my mum and dad they need to be getting people to pay attention and not just walk on by.

Its food for thought right? I think the age old day of stranger danger is not going to work anymore, but teaching your children in a more complex way but easy for them to understand is going to keep our children safe. the reality of online strangers is still just as important but remember these people walk among us it is just as important to keep teaching them of the real life dangers on our streets and not just forget.