If you have children, then you know how stressful life can be. From their high energy to driving around to their after school activities to scheduling and attending what feels like an endless amount of their classmate’s birthday parties, having children can take up a lot of your time.
However, the decision to have children can also be very exciting and fulfilling!
But one of the greatest anxieties that a parent can have is wondering all of the ways that they can protect their children. After all, the world can be a really scary place sometimes! Whether you live in a very safe neighborhood or not, here are some of the ways that you can teach your child to better protect themselves. We know that every little bit can help!
- Teach them and have them memorize the following: your home address, your phone number, the phone number of a close relative or friend, and the 911 emergency line. If they are ever lost, they will be equipped with this information and will have memorized your phone number if they ever needed to call you.
- The importance of locking doors: Childhood is all about fun! So when your children are out and about playing with their local neighborhood friends, make sure that you teach them to lock the front door once they come home for dinner.
- What to do when someone rings the doorbell and you are not home: Even though this is kind of subjective and we would never tell you how to parent, we do suggest that you come up with a plan of action for your child if they were home alone and someone rang the doorbell. While a child cannot see through the peephole/ fish hole because of their height, have them glance through a window where they can best visualize a person. If it is a stranger, make sure they do not answer. Even if it is someone you know very well, make sure they do not answer the door unless you have told your child in advance that the friend was coming over to pick up or drop off any items. The only time that they should be opening the door is for a family member, or even yourself if you were locked out on accident!
