10 Tips to Protect Your Kids From Strangers

Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 12:28 pm

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The concept of strangers is very confusing and convoluted for children, learn how to best help protect your kids from strangers. We tell them not to talk to strangers, but they see mom and dad exchange comments with strangers at the grocery store, help someone put their groceries in their car, or even help them look for their lost pet. Parents often scare or confuse children when telling them to beware. Instead of simply saying NO, try enacting the tips listed below instead.

1. Know the difference of safety with parents vs. being alone.

It is important to teach your children that the rules regarding strangers is different when they are alone versus when they are with a trusted adult. They see mom and dad say hello to people in the grocery store and people often tell them how cute they are when they play with mom at the park. They need to understand that these instances are okay only because they are supervised by you.

2. What to do if they are lost…

One of the best ways to protect you kids from strangers is to teach them what to do if they become lost. They should stay exactly where they are and scream your name over and over again. Chances are that you are within earshot, and you will hear their screams and can call out to them. If someone approaches them to help, they should insist that person call you and not go anywhere with that person. (Keep your phone number with your child at all times and have them memorize it too.) It’s really important to teach your child to not go ANYWHERE with a person they don’t know, even a police officer.

3. Teach them to stay put.

Child predators have been known to dress up as police officers or employees to prey on lost kids in public places. A real police officer is trained to not take a child to another location if the parents are likely close by and they will comply with your child’s request to call you. Don’t teach your children to find a “mom” to ask for help either. Studies show that oftentimes child abductors are women who use their own children as bait. Teaching your kids to insist on staying put and calling you to find them is the best offense.

4. The danger of a secret.

The word “secret” is rarely associated with something good. Predators use this concept to keep the naïve from telling. Teach your children that your family has “surprises”, but never “secrets”. If an adult or even an older kid asks them to keep a secret about something, then that person (whether a stranger or a close family friend) absolutely cannot be trusted. A good person would never ask them to keep something from their mom or dad. Ask them to let you know right away if this happens.

5. Don’t answer the door alone.

Make it a rule that your children don’t to answer the door if they are home by themselves. There are many predators out there who do not directly seek out children, they act only out of opportunity. A child who is home alone is not able to prevent an adult from forcing their way inside once they have opened the door, which leaves them vulnerable. Also, find out if your state has a minimum age for leaving children home alone.

For example, Illinois law requires children to be 14 years old before being left alone; in Maryland, the minimum age is 8, while in Oregon, children must be 10 before being left home alone. In states with a minimum age home alone law, if a law enforcement officer were to find your under-age kids home alone, your kids could be taken into custody with the charge of neglect. (For information on laws and guidelines in your State, contact your local CPS agency.)

6. Ask if it is okay to talk to strangers.

Instead of telling children that they should never talk to strangers, tell them that they need to ask permission from the adult guardian with them first. This permission-first approach allows you to screen their interactions and is much less confusing to children than the hard-line approach.

7. Never touch a stranger’s dog.

Many predators use animals as a way to lure children. Teach your children to never pet a stranger’s dog when they are alone even if the stranger says it is okay. Not only does this protect your children from possible being abducted, but it can prevent them from being injured if the animal is excitable or violent.

8. Don’t take anything from anyone.

Instead of simply saying, “never take candy from a stranger,” teach them to never take anything from anyone without first receiving permission from mom or dad. Additionally, make it known that they should never eat anything that they find on the ground, even if it has a wrapper on it.

This applies at school, playdates, playground, etc. There have been many incidents over the years of poisoned food and candy left in view where children play. Predators also often drug food that they offer to their victims. This rule has the added benefit from protecting your children from allergens as well.

9. Don’t use “Stranger, Danger”

Don’t use the tagline, “stranger danger,” when talking to your children. My own 5 year old (despite all of my efforts) thought that he could simply introduce himself to a stranger and make friends with them, and then they wouldn’t be a stranger anymore.

When you use this tagline children often associate bad strangers with the bad characters that they see on TV and in games. Those characters always look evil. Kids need to know that strangers who might want to do them harm look like everyone else.

9. Don’t help strangers.

Many predators use the rouse that they need the child’s help with some emergency in order to abduct them. They often try and get the child to help them find a lost animal, or even money that they have dropped. Children naturally want to please and love to be helpful. Teach them that an adult would never need a child’s help, and that if one is asking them for help that they need to run to a trusted adult right away.

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