Child Safety for Small Children- Some Frequently Asked Questions

When your friendly 3-year old waves hello to strangers on the road, does it get you worried about the dangers that could lie ahead?  It is important to equip your child with the right knowledge for being prepared to deal with unsafe situations, even when you are not around. 

Here are some questions that your child is likely to ask and how you can answer them:

Who is a stranger? 

A stranger is a person you don’t know. They can be present anywhere – at the park, in school, at a friend’s place. Strangers can be good and bad. Not all strangers will cause you harm. But some strangers can hurt you. So it is better to be careful and stay away from them.

How Will I Know If Someone Wants to Hurt me?

You should never leave your parents/teacher and go to another person you don’t know. If someone calls you, ask us if you can go up to them. If you are at a friend’s house or at an outing from school then you must ask your teacher or friend’s parent.

Good touch Vs. Bad touch

Certain parts of the body are private parts and should not be touched by anyone except mummy or daddy. A handshake or a pat on the back is friendly. But a touch around the chest or thighs are wrong. If someone tries to do that, you need to run away immediately to someone safe.

Who are safe people?

If you are separated from your friends or parents, look for people such as security guards, cashiers or people in uniforms in stores, policemen and your teacher(if you are at an outing from school). Show them the identity card that is attached to your clothes. They will help you reach your parents.

What is the identity card and why is it important to carry every time I go out?

The identity card has your name, house address and parents’ phone numbers written. In case you are lost, you can approach safe people and ask them to help you reach us with the help of the contact details.

Why can’t I take sweets and gifts from strangers?

Strangers who mean to harm you can give you things which will cause you harm. Like how snow-white took the apple from an old lady who she did not know and the apple ended up hurting snow white. Politely say no and walk away to someone safe.

Remember to avoid the use of words which can frighten your child. Example: they will put you in a dark room. Use re-assuring words which keep your child informed but not scared. Example: You can shout and scream if someone tries to hurt you. This will help your child face the situation with courage and intelligence.

Stay Tuned! Stay Relevant!