School is back in full swing. You know what I have been seeing a lot of lately? Posts and news stories about children getting lost either at school or while on the school bus. Can you imagine driving up to your child’s school and the employees are scrambling to find your kid, and then to be told that your child isn’t there? As a parent of two elementary school-aged children, this terrifies me to my core. Not to mention that one of my children is on the autism spectrum.
We, as parents, know we cannot protect our kids from everything, but I can offer some tips and resources to help you equip your child{ren} in case they are ever in a situation where they must relay important information to another person, or worse, defend themselves against a stranger.
Teach Your Children Self-Defense
I am a huge advocate for self-defense. The place I and train offers kids’ classes for ages 5 and up. They train my children in three areas :: motor skills, self protection and mental toughness, while also teaching them to be an upstander in our community.
Teach Your Children Your Contact Information
This often gets overlooked when we are teaching our children the basics :: colors, ABCs, numbers, etc. I was told by a source that their child exited the school bus {when he/she was supposed to be picked up at school} and located the first adult he/she saw. The child then told the adult “I am lost. Can you please call my mommy?” and proceeded to give them their mommy’s cell phone number. Luckily the child was okay, but it could have ended very badly. Teaching your children your name and phone number can save them in a dangerous situation. You can take it a step further and teach them your address also. Start this with younger children before they even attend school, or a mother’s day out program.
Invest in a Road ID bracelet
When I learned that my son was on the spectrum, the first thing I did was order him a Road ID bracelet. It has his information on it as well as mine plus a tag to indicate an autism diagnosis. There are a ton of Pinterest boards that highlight how to make an ID bracelet for kids. If your child rides the bus, I highly recommend some type of identification tag, just for the purpose of safety. Plus you can utilize the bracelet when you are in a very crowded area, like a theme park.
No parent wants to find herself in a situation where one of her kids, no matter their age or handicap, is lost and on their own. We all want our children to be as prepared as possible for the crazy and unexpected things that can happen in life. Make your children’s safety a priority in your parenting. Give them the tools they need to navigate tricky situations should they find themselves in one.
At the end of the day, the goal is for our children to get home safe.
