What to Teach Kids About Strangers

Information about the differences between strangers kids should look out for and strangers kids can trust

Kids see strangers every day in stores, in the park, and in their neighborhoods. Most of these strangers are nice, normal people, but a few may not be.
 Parents can protect their children from dangerous strangers by teaching them about strangers and suspicious behavior, and by taking a few precautions of their own.

Who is a stranger?

A stranger is anyone that your family doesn’t know well. It’s common for children to think that “bad strangers” look scary, like the villains in cartoons. 
This is not only not true, but it’s dangerous for children to think this way. Pretty strangers can be just as dangerous as the not-so-pretty ones. 
When you talk to your children about strangers, explain that no one can tell if strangers are nice or not nice just by looking at them and that they should be careful around all strangers.

But don't make it seem like all strangers are bad. If children need help--whether they’re lost, being threatened by a bully, or being followed by a stranger--
the safest thing for them to do in many cases is to ask a stranger for help. You can make this easier for them by showing them which strangers are okay to trust.

Who are safe strangers?

Safe strangers are people children can ask for help when they need it. Police officers and firefighters are two examples of very recognizable safe strangers.
 Teachers, principals, and librarians are adults children can trust too, and they are easy to recognize when they’re at work. 
But make sure that you emphasize that whenever possible, children should go to a public place to ask for help.

You can help your children recognize safe strangers by pointing them out when you’re out in your town.
 Also show your children places they can go if they need help, such as local stores and restaurants and the homes of family friends in your neighborhood.

Recognizing and Handling Dangerous Situations

Perhaps the most important way parents can protect their children is to teach them to be wary of potentially dangerous situations – this will help them when dealing with strangers as well as with known adults who may not have good intentions. Help children recognize the warning signs of suspicious behavior, such as when an adult asks them to disobey their parents or do something without permission, asks them to keep a secret, asks children for help, or makes them feel uncomfortable in any way. Also tell your children that an adult should never ask a child for help, and if one does ask for their help, teach them to find a trusted adult right away to tell what happened.

You should also talk to your children about how they should handle dangerous situations. 
One ways is to teach them “No, Go, Yell, Tell.” If in a dangerous situations, kids should say no, run away, yell as loud as they can, and tell a trusted adult what happened right away
. Make sure that your children know that it is okay to say no to an adult in a dangerous situation and to yell to keep themselves safe, even if they are indoors.
 It’s good to practice this in different situations so that your children will feel confident in knowing know what to do. Here are a few possible scenarios:

What Else Parents Can Do

      In addition to teaching children how to recognize and handle dangerous situations and strangers, there are a few more things parents can do to help their children stay safe and avoid dangerous situations.

• Know where your children are at all times.

         Make it a rule that your children must ask permission or check in with you before going anywhere. Give your children your work and cell phone numbers so they can reach you at all times.

• Point out safe places. Show your children safe places to play, safe roads and paths to take, and safe places to go if there’s trouble.
• Teach children to trust their instincts. Explain that if they ever feel scared or uncomfortable, they should get away as fast as they can and tell an adult.

          Tell them that sometimes adults they know may make them feel uncomfortable, and they should still get away as fast as possible and tell another adult what happened. 
          Reassure children that you will help them when they need it.

• Teach your children to be assertive. Make sure they know that it’s okay to say no to an adult and to run away from adults in dangerous situations.
• Encourage your children to play with others. There’s safety in numbers!

 

Strangers and Other Dangers

A stranger is a person whom you have never met. You may have seen the person before but don't know anything about him or her.
Strangers don't look like monsters, aliens, or the bad guys you see on TV. They look like ordinary people.
What's the Big Deal?

Most strangers are nice, but some are not. You can't tell if a stranger is nice or not by looking at him or her. But you can tell if a situation is good or bad.
What you should do:

• Be aware of dangerous situations. If a stranger asks you for help or to keep a "special secret," it could be a dangerous situation. Say no and tell a trusted adult.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel scared or uncomfortable, get away from the situation. Make an excuse or just run away, and go to a safe place.
• Know what to do. Think No, Go, Yell, Tell. If you're in a dangerous situation, say no, run away, yell as loud as you can, and tell an adult.
• Ask your parents first. If a stranger invites you to go somewhere, offers you a gift, or just wants to talk, say you need to ask your parents for permission first. Then go do it.
• Stick with friends. It's always safer to play in a group

Do you want to know how Scruff Handles Strangers? Click Here.

Can You Keep a Secret?

Should you keep it?

Most of the time, it's okay to keep secrets. Secrets can be fun and make people happy. But sometimes secrets can hurt people. 
You should never keep secrets like these. Instead, tell the secret to an adult you trust.

Do you know the difference between a good and a bad secret?

A good secret won't hurt you! And it won't hurt anyone or anything else.

A bad secret might hurt you, or someone or something else. It might make you, your brother, your sister, or a friend feel sad, scared, uncomfortable, or angry.
 It might be something that you know is wrong, and you think someone will get in trouble if you break it.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell which secrets are good and which are bad. McGruff has a few examples to help you decide!

Good Secrets to Keep:

• Your mom is planning a surprise party for your dad.
• Your IM password (but you should tell your parents!)
• When you're staying home alone.
• Your name, address, phone number, and school name - when you're online.

Bad secrets to keep: 

• Your brother tells you he's thinking of joining a gang.
• An adult does something that makes you feel uncomfortable and asks you not to tell.
• Your sister tells you that a boy she met online wants to meet her in person.

  

• Your friend starts hanging out with older kids who paint graffiti on buildings. If you're not sure if a secret is good or bad, ask an adult what they think.                                                                                          

Meet Mcgruff The Crime Dog Click on His picture to learn more about him.

The National Crime Prevention Council’s mission is to be the nation's leader in helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime.
 To achieve this, NCPC produces tools that communities can use to learn crime prevention strategies, engage community members, and coordinate with local agencies, including
 

• Publications and teaching materials on a variety of topics
• Programs that can be implemented in communities and schools
• Local, regional, and national trainings
• Public service announcements broadcast nationwide starring McGruff the Crime Dog
• Support for a national coalition of crime prevention practitioners
   

NCPC was founded in 1982 to manage the National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign and McGruff the Crime Dog and to administer the Crime Prevention Coalition of America. 
Now 25 years after McGruff’s first TV appearance, more than 75 percent of children recognize McGruff and over 4,000 law enforcement agencies own a McGruff suit. 
That’s a lot of people who know how to "Take A Bite Out Of Crime!"

Over the next five years, NCPC will seize opportunities to address the challenges incumbent on the nation's -- and the world's -- premier center of excellence for crime prevention. 
We will aggregate this work under a powerful unifying theme, Safer With McGruff.  

It’s easy to get involved in crime prevention. Find out how you can "Take A Bite Out Of Crime" or learn about a specific crime prevention issue.

 

Child Safety

Parents, guardians, and adults who care for children face constant challenges when trying to help keep children safer in today's fast-paced world. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers easy-to-use safety resources to help address these challenges.

For decades, children were taught to stay away from "strangers." But this concept is difficult for children to grasp and often the perpetrator is someone the child knows. It is more beneficial to help build children's confidence and teach them to respond to a potentially dangerous situation, rather than teaching them to look out for a particular type of person.

NCMEC is the nation's resource center for protecting children. Our prevention and safety education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep your children safer. The Just In Case... and Know the Rules publication series are especially important for parents and guardians.