Safety Tips for Your Children

Your children should be reminded of the following safety instructions, which apply to babysitters as well as others:

• No one should ask you to keep a special secret. If he or she does, tell your parent or teacher.
• If someone wants to take your picture, tell your parents or teacher.
• No one should touch you in the parts of the body covered by the bathing suit, nor should you touch anyone else in those areas. Your body is special and private.
• Trust your feelings about what is right and wrong behaviour.
• No one should approach you or touch you in any way that makes you feel uncomfortable. You can be assertive, and you have the right to say no to someone who tries to take you somewhere, touches you, or makes you feel uncomfortable in any way.

Above all, be sensitive to changes in your child's behaviour, and find out from your child what caused the changes. Your home should be a place of trust and support where your children can feel safe in discussing fears and other sensitive matters and in relating experiences that made them uncomfortable. A good and healthy communication with your child can go a long way toward preventing child exploitation and abuse.