The Beverly/Morgan Park community, located in the 22nd Police District, is one of the safest in
Chicago
and has among the lowest crime rates in the city. But even in the safest of communities, adults must teach children to be cautious and avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Following is a list of safety tips to review with your children and use as a basis for discussions about personal safety.
Avoid isolated places. Develop a specific route for children to take to and from school and social activities. Tell your children to stick to this route and check to see that they do. Encourage them to walk home with friends or siblings.
Never accept a ride from a stranger. Instill the importance of never getting into anyone’s car without prior permission from you. Remind them that they must hear it from you.
Do not open the door to strangers. When they are at home, instruct your children not to open the door to strangers or say that they are home alone. Reassure them that if it’s important, people will return when adults are home.
Don’t give information over the phone. Instruct children not to give callers, especially ones they don’t know, any kind of information about your family. Explain that sometimes strangers use this kind of information for unlawful purposes.
You’re not alone. If your child must be alone at home, instruct them not to tell anyone – even friends -- that they are alone.
Be safe, be assertive. If a stranger follows them, tell children to protect themselves by being assertive. They should not run and hide, but to walk or run toward other people and scream for help.
Adults don’t ask children for directions. Explain that most adults will not ask a child for help. Tell them not to get into a conversation with an adult, and if the adult insists, to say “No” assertively.
Make it a rule: Children may never go into anyone’s house without your knowledge and permission.
Know who you are. As soon as they can remember it, teach your children your telephone number, home address and their full names – first and last.
Get to know your children’s friends and their friends’ parents. Teach your child that any adult can harm them, even someone that they know. Also, although they may want the admiration of older teens, teach them that they should not just blindly follow what bigger kids are doing or saying.
Remember, open lines of communication will help your child feel more comfortable telling you about people who concern them. |
