Local Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania VA Martial Arts News
2/20/2010
Provided Courtesy of Spotsylvania Martial Arts

Child Safety Tips for Parents

While many parents and guardians feel they are faced with new and unprecedented challenges when trying to keep their children safer in today’s fast-paced and increasingly global society, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers these common-sense, general safety tips to help parents and guardians put these challenges into perspective. Parents and guardians should choose opportunities or “teachable” moments to reinforce safety skills.  If an incident occurs in your community, and your children ask about it, speak frankly but with reassurance. Explain to your children that you want to discuss the safety rules with the, so they will know what to do if they are ever confronted with a difficult situation. Make sure you have “safety nets” in place, so your children know there is always someone who can help them.

Make sure you know where your children are at all times. Know your children’s friends and make clear with your children about the places and homes they may visit. Make it a rule for your children to check in with you when they arrive or depart from a particular location and when there is a change in plans. You should also let them know when you’re running late or if your plans have changed so they can see the rule is for safety purposes and not being used to “check up” on them.

Never leave children unattended in an automobile, whether it’s running or not. Children should never be left unsupervised or allowed to spend time alone or with others in automobiles, as the potential dangers to their safety outweigh any perceived convenience or “fun.” Remind children to never hitchhike, approach a car, or engage in a conversation with anyone within a car they do not know and trust, or go anywhere with anyone without getting your permission first.

Be involved in your children’s activities. As an active participant and as an active parent, you’ll have a better opportunity to observe how the adults in charge interact with your children. If you are concerned about anyone’s behavior, if you have a “gut instinct" or intuition, take it up with the sponsoring organization.

Listen to your children. Pay attention if they tell you they don’t want to be with someone or go somewhere. This may be an indication of more than a personality conflict or lack of interest in the activity or event. Speaking to your child, parent awareness, and being an active listener are essential in every aspect of your child’s safety.

At Spotsylvania Martial Arts, our child safety and abduction prevention training is done in association with Kidz ’n Power and Amber Alert. Several times per year, we offer FREE Child Safety and Abduction Awareness seminars in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area. This age specific program is available absolutely FREE to interested families that have children ages 6-12 years old. These seminars share safety tips, techniques, and strategies for the entire family.

Spotsylvania Martial Arts offers a free three-class trial program in traditional martial arts and krav maga.  Please call 540-891-9008, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.