Preventing Child Abduction and Protecting Kids from Predators

Posted by Jenny Evans Sep 9, 2009

Losing a child, even for a second, is incredibly scary. Fortunately the child is usually found a few moments later, happily playing and blissfully unaware that their parent has almost had a heart attack. But it makes parents wonder, "does my child know how to protect himself against a child predator? "

Lessons about stranger danger can be difficult to teach, especially to very young children. As a result, we often do it wrong, falling back on seriously flawed maxims like "Don't talk to strangers." Kids need real stranger safety education, learning what people and situations they actually need to be cautious of.

Common techniques that child predators use to get kids in a vulnerable place are known as child lures - every child should be familiar with these and recognize them. Even smart kids will fall for many of them every time if they're not prepared.

Last of all, kids should be equipped with basic children's self-defense to use in case worst comes to worst.

Nothing will ever completely get rid of that gut-dropping feeling when you lose sight of your child in a crowded mall or park, but teaching kids about child predators early and often is the best defense against abduction.