Instilling safety awareness in children

Name : Lim Xiao Pei Class : 4S1 IC No. : 971022-08-5976 Topic : Instilling Safety Awareness In Children Theme : Social Issues Children are innocent. They don’t have a clear idea of what a bad person might look like. They probably think someone with a moustache and ugly or evil facial expression is a bad person. The children do not think that women and kind-looking elderly men may be the bad person. The best people to teach children about personal safety are their parents.

In view of the mounting number of crimes involving young children, parents must think about how they can protect their children from the danger that lurk around them. First of all, children need to know about their neighbours and living area. Parents should tell their children where they can visit when parents are not around. It will be great if boundaries are set outlining the areas that they can go to. If your children are invited by friends and neighbours to areas beyond the set boundaries, tell them that they should first check with you before venturing out.

Then, remind your child to look out for the strangers hanging around frequently. Teach them to be aware of people who go round chatting up little kids or strangers cruising the neighbourhood. Parents must make sure that their children are aware of safety measures to take with regards to strangers, before allowing them to venture out on their own. Children should be told that if they feel uncomfortable when a stranger approaches them, they should run away without any hesitation. They should also be taught to say “ No” and to shout for help when necessary.

Parents should also be cautious in allowing their children to go out by themselves to meet friends at public places. Though it may be tiresome, parents should accompany their children if they need to wait for their friends. If possible, parents can pick up their friends and send them to their destination too. Furthermore, parents must always be sure where their children at all times. They should make sure that their children do not accept any gifts or invitations from any strangers. Besides, parents must realize that potential dangers involvingchild abuseand sexual assault lurk in places where children spend most of their time.

Thus, parents should teach their children the ways to protect themselves. If possible, parents can send their children to learn martial arts too. Parents must be approachable to their children. When a child confesses to wrongdoing, find out the facts of the case before punishing them. Do not forget to give them a chance to explain and see how you can help them to solve the problem. If parents are unapproachable to children, they will bias to strangers who treat them very nice. The time has came for the community to work together to prevent crimes in our neighbourhood.

Creating a safe neighbourhood is everyone’sresponsibility. When we help to keep all the children safe, we are protecting our ownfamilytoo. *This is very important as children are still young and cannot detect the approaching of danger. For example, the six-year-old child, William Yau Zhen Zhong was left with his siblings, Eric and Cindy in his parents’ car as they went to a shop. He apparently got out of the car to look for his parents when Cindy started crying. He was reported missing after that. Nine days later, his body was found in a river.