Important tips to help teach kids about ‘stranger danger’

When discussing “stranger danger,” it’s important to talk about it in a way to not scare your kids.  

Doctors recommend explaining to our children there’s never a reason an adult would need a child’s help to find something.

Also, they say it’s important to teach your kids who the “good people” are like police officers, firefighters and teachers, or someone with a badge at a store.

Another helpful tip can be to come up with something only the family would know, like a secret family password. The child can then ask the stranger to give them the password to make sure they are who they say they are. If the stranger doesn’t know the password, the child will immediately know about the danger.

If your child gets lost, doctors say it’s generally okay to tell your children they can ask another parent for help. Most parents would happily lend a hand in that kind of situation.