You may think you are familiar with “stranger danger.” What you may not realize is that in most abuse and kidnapping scenarios, the stranger is not usually the cause. It is actually more often a family member or someone the child knows. The Honolulu Police Department reminded parents to tell their child that not all dangerous strangers look or act scary. They added that friendly, well-dressed and polite people can be dangerous strangers. It is important to teach your child how to stay safe and recognize red flags starting as early as 3 years-old if you can. Instead of preaching to stay away from strangers who are people your child does not know, talk about tricky people. Tricky people are adults that your child may or may not know who trick him into making unsafe choices. If your child feels compromised in any way he should inform a parent or trusted adult immediately. Let your child know that nobody should be offering him food or rides or trying to get close to him if you do not know who they are. Encourage your child to set boundaries and speak up if he is uncomfortable. While there are many signs of tricky people, it is not always clear-cut. “If a child does not feel safe period or does not like the person period for whatever reason that is a red flag too,” said Natalia Matsumoto, licensed marriage and family therapist at Serenity Counseling Services. Your child should trust his instincts and never feel obligated to be cordial to someone who makes him feel uneasy. Teach your child to yell that he does not know a person, help or even fire to get other’s attention. Sometimes a basic scream can be mistaken as a kid just having fun. Get creative. Come up with a by Jamie Lober 88 HAWAII PARENT March/April 2024 It is important to teach your child how to stay safe.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==