In your neighborhood, show your children: people, places and activities that occur normally in that area. Helping your children to recognize what is normal for your area can help them to notice changes.

Make a game of observing activities and persons on the street. See how many potential problems you and your child can spot such as isolated parking lots, poorly lit alleys, abandoned houses, cars stopped near parks.

Teach your children how to call 9-1-1 and explain how to tell the police/fire/ambulance operator who they he/she is, and what his/her emergency is. Have your child/children actively look for a telephone that is near his/her destination, whether it be the park, playground, another friend's neighborhood.

Teach your children to observe as much as possible: locations, clothing and physical descriptions of people, cars, etc.

Teach them to avoid strangers, especially those strangers that seek them out, for instance, to find a puppy, ask them for directions, or give them a candy bar etc.

Encourage your children to open up to you, and tell you anything without fear of punishment. Child sexual abuse can occur within families, by extended family members, or family friends. Children should be taught that no one should be touching them in personal areas. A good guideline to use: any personal area a bathing suit covers. Children should be made feel comfortable speaking about these issues.

Show your children local stores and businesses where they can turn to for help.

Familiarize them to the Police station, Town Hall and Fire Department.

Teach your children if they run into a dangerous situation to try to run away as fast and as far as possible, until they are able to call 9-1-1 or find a responsible person to call the police for them.

They can also yell as loud as they can, and alert passersby to their danger by yelling "fire" or "you're not my mother or father," or "call the police"

Make sure younger children know their name and address, and how to call 9-1-1 to get help. Teach them to stay on the phone until an officer responds. Practice with them, how to use the phone to make such a call, and answer questions they may be asked.

Links for parental controls and internet info:

Safe Surfinwww.safesurfin.com/kids.htm
Symantec http://www.symantec.com/
Cyber Patrol www.cyberpatrol.com
Net Nanny www.netnanny.com
Safe Kids www.safekids.com