As we enter the carefree days of summer, it is a great time for children to be playing outside with their friends. It is also a time when the rules may become a little more relaxed, and children can find themselves with less adult supervision.

In addition, it is a time when children are more accessible to people who may try to harm them, and parents must take precautions to better ensure their children’s safety. With more children outside for longer periods of time, predators see opportunities to access unsupervised children. That’s why it is even more important to review the safety rules below and role-play these rules with your children.

“First and foremost, parents need to know who is supervising their children,” said Nancy McBride, executive director of the Florida branch of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC/FL). “They should choose summer programs, camps, and activities with care. Make certain that the program is licensed, inquire about background screening for employees, and find out what adult supervision is available for outdoor activities and field trips. Parents should visit these programs, unannounced, to see how the staff interacts with the children. The best source of information about your children is your children. Listen carefully when they tell you how their day went.”

Parents should also caution their children never to approach a car, especially when someone they don’t know is inside, regardless of what the person is saying to them. Predators have been known to use a number of tricks to try to entice children to go with them including ruses such as asking children to help them find a lost puppy and asking for directions. Since children tend to be helpful and seek adult approval, it is easy for them to forget the rules and respond to the request.

“Children need to know it’s okay for them to say no,” said McBride. “Their safety is much more important, and they also need to know it is okay for them to tell you if someone has bothered them or if they are frightened or confused.”

Don’t assume your children are safe when playing in the yard. Frequently check on them and instruct them to tell you if their plans change or if they want to go somewhere with a friend. This goes for the older kids as well as for the younger ones. It goes without saying that children are safer with other children than when they are alone. But “safety in numbers” isn’t enough. Children need to know, remember, and follow these safety rules.

Be sure to go over the rules with your children about whose homes they can visit when you’re not there, and discuss the boundaries of where they can and can’t go in the neighborhood.

Make sure your children know their full names, addresses, and telephone numbers and how to use the telephone. Be sure that they know what to do in case of an emergency.

Caution children not to open the door when they are home alone. Make certain that they understand not to tell anyone who calls that they are home alone.

Because molesters and abductors are known to seek access to children who are unsupervised, make sure your children are supervised at all times especially in places like malls, movie theaters, video arcades, and parks. Teach your children in whose car they may ride. Children should be cautioned never to approach any vehicle, occupied or not, unless accompanied by a parent or trusted adult.

Make sure your children know to stay away from pools, canals, or other bodies of water without adult supervision.

Since daylight lasts longer, be sure your children know when they need to be home, and instruct them to let you know if they are going to be late. If you allow your children to play outside after dark, make sure that they have reflective clothing and stay close to home.

Choose babysitters with care. Obtain references from family, friends, and neighbors. Observe the babysitter’s interaction with your children and talk to your children about their feelings about the babysitter.

Check out camp and other summer programs before enrolling your children. See if a background screening check is completed on the individuals working with the children. Make sure that there will be adult supervision of your children at all times, and make sure that you are made aware of all activities and field trips offered by the camp or program.

Investigate daycare settings thoroughly before placing your children. Make certain that the center or family daycare home is licensed and parents are free to come and go as they wish. Observe the personnel and activities several times before making your decision, and visit unannounced after placement.

Be sure that all custody documents are in order and certified copies are available in case your children are not returned from a summertime visit from someone like a noncustodial parent, grandparent, or other relative. Always listen to your children and keep the lines of communication open. Your children are your best source for determining if everything is okay. Teach your children to get out of dangerous or uncomfortable situations right away, and make sure that they know they can tell you about anything that happens to them.

**Special Tip! Parents... when camping in the great outdoors, hiking, walking trails in the woods, etc., make sure your child has a whistle on a string around their neck! In this way, should they become lost, teach them to "hug a tree" and start whistling! Sound carries a long way, and this can help them be located!!

For additional information on child safety, visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST
(1-800-843-5678). Tips reprinted with permission from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Copyright © 1993 NCMEC. All rights reserved.