Talk to Your Child About Kidnapping!

Every parent worries about their child’s safety. You hear about it in the news, but it would never happen to you, right? It’s everybody’s worst nightmare: a loved one going missing, especially a child. While there are freak accidents that you might not always see coming, it’s important to be aware of the ways that you can prevent this from possibly happening to your child.
If you are worried about your daughter/son possibly being kidnapped, there are many things you can do to help mitigate the risk. The concept of “stranger danger” is usually overplayed in the media, as only 1% of missing children cases are stranger kidnappings. In fact, children are actually more likely to be abducted by their own parents than by a stranger! However, it still does happen and you can prepare your kid by teacher them a couple things.

First, you should teach your child what a stranger actually looks like. They usually are not creepy, ugly, disheveled etc. They may look “nice.” TV and movies often make us think that if somebody is a bad person, they will look like a bad person. This is not the case in real life. They may seem nice, friendly, even charming! You, as a parent, should know this but your child should know this as well. Have a conversation with them when they at an age where you think they can handle it. Do not scare them, but educate them on how to avoid it. Awareness is the most important way to keep your child safe.

Second, you should both know the most common kidnapping lures. These are different ways that a kidnapper may try to deceive your child into following them or getting into a vehicle with them. If you and your child know these, you are more likely to be able to notice if one of them is happening to your child. More importantly, they will know if it is happening to them and they can remove their self from the situation. The link provided includes those.

Last, just know that in the rare cases of random kidnapping, the victims are usually groomed first, that is followed, studied, and researched online. As your daughter/son gets older and starts to use social media, monitor what they post. Have mature discussions with your child about what it means to be safe on the internet. Make sure that you are friends with them or that you follow each other on various platforms. You don’t have to go behind their back, but let them know that you can see everything! You can also monitor their phone usage. There are many services that allow you to do that, such as KidGuard.

Remember, awareness is the most important way to keep your child safe, so especially at their young age, be aware of their location whenever you leave the house with them. While emergencies can still happen, being prepared is the best way to avoid them. Talk to your child today!