No matter where you are living, visiting or traveling to, you are confronted with the problems of the outside world. Unless you live in a fortified concrete bunker and travel by armored HMMWV with a security detail by your side day and night, there is a need for families to have adequate security measures in place. These measures could be as simple as consistently locking your house door, always carrying charged cell phones or having children memorize important phone numbers and addresses; or as complex as having a home security alarm with numerous bells and whistles, or having a GPS attached to your body.
It is not an earth shattering statement to say that being a parent means a lot of hard work and responsibility. We are always striving to make the best life we can for our children and to do the best we can to make it a priority in building a safe environment for them to grow up. But the truth of the matter is we cannot be with them all of the time to guarantee their safety around the clock. So that means we need to build a stable security foundation by using everyday occurrences as teaching points beginning at a young age. We need to take the time to teach our young children how to identify and handle the everyday risks in our society, without making them paranoid or instilling unneeded fear. Well, the good thing is, teaching your kids about being safe is not rocket science, it just takes is a little observation, and a lot of patience and love.
Whatever the case, when young children are involved, the security measures need to be explained in a simplified and positive manner. No need for using any scare or panic tactics, but explain the importance of what you are doing. Here is an example, if your child asks, "When someone is at our front door, why can't I open the door by myself without you or mommy?" An answer I do not recommend is, "Because a big monster will come and take you away!" That is a little too strong and will probably do more harm than good. I recommend this response, "Because mommy and daddy love you very much and we want to make sure we know who comes to our house." This sends a message to your child that you love them and it shows them how important it is to know who you are letting into to your home.
Communicating to your children by using both words and actions is extremely important. For example, we have all parked in a busy parking lot with our children and parking lots are notorious for speeding and careless drivers and people who have somewhere important to go. It is imperative to ensure your child knows the importance of holding your hand and not running. At the same time, your head needs to be on a swivel while walking defensively to observe other drivers, watching them backing up and driving by. This is another way of identifying a risk and pointing out the importance to your child of listening to you. And as a parent, I know that listening is a lesson in itself that needs repetition and much practice, just like teaching your children to be safe.
Teaching a few simple core fundamentals like the examples above at a young age will help your child deal with everyday risks. Risks that may not be visible right away, but with the proper coaching starting when they are young, can be seen, handled or avoided later in life. This will put both of you on the right road to tackle more complex security issues as your child gets older. While they are busy with baseball, skating, boy scouts, girl scouts and many other activities, you will be confident that you have taught them the basics about security
