The horrific murder of Leiby Kletzky, the 8-year-old Brooklyn boy who was abducted Monday while walking home from day camp, has sent shockwaves through New York City and panic and sorrow in the hearts of parents and neighbors.
Tragedies like this prove more than ever that there’s no such thing as too much communication between parents and children about street safety, not talking to strangers and steering clear of danger.
An estimated 797,500 children are reported missing each year, according to National Center of Missing & Exploited Children. While the vast majority return home safely, many are not so lucky.
"If there's one thing that kids need to know is that when they're in a situation with a stranger, they' don't need to be polite," said Nancy McBride, the national safety director of the Center for Missing and Exploited Chidren. "We raise our kids to be nice to adults and to be well behaved. But in a situation where they are feeling uncomfortable, all they need to know is that they should get away, fast."
McBride suggests sitting down with your kids and calmly talking to them about keeping away from danger. Let them ask questions to make sure you're on the same page.
Here are 10 tips on how to keep your kids safe.
1. Safety in numbers: Tell your child to take a friend with him when walking or riding bikes. When standing at a bus stop, tell them to stay with their group and not wander off.
2. Take the same route: Tell your children to always go home the same way and never to take shortcuts. Kids can get lost or end up in areas that aren’t well-lit or safe.
3. Help him remember: Help your child remember his route by pointing out landmarks to keep him on the right track. Walk the route with him and make sure he knows it forward and backward.
4. Go to a crowded place: If your child gets lost or turned around tell him to look for a place where there are a lot of people. If there are no police officers around, going inside a retail location and telling a person wearing a name tag that he is lost is a good idea.
5. Use your outside voice: It’s important for your child to know that it’s okay to SCREAM and SHOUT when he's in danger. Tell them its okay to kick and scream and make a racket and to shout at the top of their lungs, "Help! This person is not my mother/father!" or "This person is trying to take me!"
6. Not all strangers are scary: Tell your child that while a grownup may seem nice or offering something that seems harmless, it's never appropriate for an adult to ask a small child for directions or offer him money or presents.
7. Car safety: Does your child think it’s safe to get in the car with a grownup, even one he's seen around the neighborhood? Tell him that he is never, ever to get in a car with anyone unless you have given express permission.
8. Keep in touch: Tell your kids how important it is for you to know where they are. Tell them to never, ever leave school or an event without checking with you first.
9. Emergency contacts: Make sure schools, camps, and extracurricular activity coordinators have updated and correct emergency contact information. That way, if your child does go missing, no time will be wasted trying to contact you. Make your child knows where to find you and has all your phone numbers.
10. Street smarts: Your child has instincts – tell him to use them! If someone is making them uncomfortable or giving them the creeps, tell them to RUN and tell a trusted adult, like a teacher or family member.
Need more help talking to your kids about street safety? Go to missingkids.com for free tools and expert advice.
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