Guard a Kid

The Internet is an incredible teaching tool for children, yet a trap of potentially dangerous people and images.  Simple keyword searches can yield pornographic images or lead a child to a chat room where potential predators lurk.  It all sounds so sinister, but the unfortunate truth exists that there are people out there preying on the innocence of a young person.  Child safety on the Internet is important for parents to understand and explain the dangers.

The scary statistics say that more than 75% of all children under the age of 14 are approached by an online predator.  Brightly colored, interactive websites attract very young children with games and puzzles, and may also allow them to enter chat rooms that could have a predator waiting.  These people will start conversations may allow them to send sexually explicit messages or images to the child, or ask to arrange a meeting.

Parents need to be aware of the potential warning signs and openly discuss child safety measures regarding the internet.  One the eminent signs is the amount of time a child spends online, particularly at night.  Predators typically work during the day and troll the internet at night, looking for opportunities to chat.  Parents need to keep computers in common areas of the home to be able to subtly monitor what is on the screen, rather than keeping the computer in a bedroom.  Regular checking of children’s email accounts will help a parent keep tabs on any potentially dangerous messages from strangers.  It is also important to monitor items received in the US mail, as children may inadvertently give out their address.

Teaching child safety online is important, by promoting responsible use of the internet.  There is so much more to utilize online other than chat rooms.  Parents can instruct children to never give out personal information, arrange face to face meetings with strangers, or download images from unknown sources.

Some parents have difficulty getting this message across in a firm yet friendly way.  Help is available through the form of informative DVD’s that families can watch together.  John Walsh is a child safety expert, and has partnered with Julie Clark to create programs to teach children the good and bad about internet safety.  Parents should also be aware of monitoring software and internet controls they can employ to prevent potentially harmful situations.  All of these items are great tools in keeping children safe from these unseen dangers.

Any parent with children under the age of ten knows how easy they like to wander off, taken by their own curiosity.  When we were kids, it used to be funny to hear stories about how Dad lost us in the hardware store, or how Mom had to search under all the racks at the clothing store to find us.  However, times have changes, and unfortunately we can’t afford to let our kids accidently wander off.  Too many stories of strangers luring young ones makes us take child safety much more seriously.

The good news is technology has created advancements that allows parents to purchase simple devices that help keep better track of their children.  From a simple locator key chain to actual GPS tracking, parents can take child safety to a new level and keep it affordable.

Small keychain transmitters are available that send a signal to a small receiver attached to a child’s shoe or coat.  Within a 150 feet radius, the parent can push a button that activates a high decibel alert signal within the receiver, drawing attention to the child.  This device is great for public areas that can be more crowded such a mall, airport, or any other large public gathering.  The receiver is disguised within a small plastic teddy bear, making it appear to be part of what the child is wearing, and is easily attached.

A child is reported missing every 40 seconds in the United States according to statistics by the FBI.  Sometimes a parent can’t be too careful, but yet they can’t be with their child every waking minute.  Another great device to keep track of a child that is on the go is a small GPS tracker that slips easily into a pocket.  Zones can be set up that the child will be within, and an alert can be emailed or texted to the parent every time the child leaves or enters the area.  No external connections or antennas are necessary, and the device is typically accurate within 15 feet.  Using a GPS tracker will give the parent the necessary confidence that their child is where they should be.

Child safety is a number one priority for any parent, especially when there is the threat of the unknown.  Taking simple measures and using devices like the ones mentioned will give peace of mind to any anxious parent.

Being a parent means having to wear a number of hats around our children.  We teach them about the great things in life, but we also need to protect them from the dangers.  The FBI reports that child goes missing every 40 seconds.  Many of the children reported missing are harmed or worse, never found.  Teaching our families about child safety can help deter situations from coming up.

Children need to learn about “stranger danger” at a young age.  They need to know who “good” strangers are:  police officers, firemen, teachers, store clerks, etc. that they can turn to if necessary.  These are the people they can go to if a parent is not around, and a “bad” stranger is making them feel uneasy.  Children should avoid walking anywhere along, and employ a buddy system.

A child should be taught their name, address, and phone number if any kind of an emergency arises.  Being able to remember little details about their surroundings is also an important detail to teach.

As a parent, we should prepare our children to make smart decisions about the people around them.  We can also prepare ourselves if something should happen by creating a child identification kit.  Should a child go missing, a child ID kit is one of the best ways to arm ourselves and provide immediate information to law officials.

The kit makes it easy to create 10 digital fingerprints of your child and store them on a CD-ROM.  This program will also allow recent photographs, descriptions of physical features such as height and weight, and any other pertinent information.  Should it need to be used, the information stored on this disk can be instantly sent electronically to any law enforcement agency.

Timing is critical when it comes to finding a missing child, and having a child ID kit will aid dramatically.  The kits are inexpensive and can be created in a short time.  It is important to update the pictures and descriptions at least yearly, since children’s appearances change so often.

Teaching child safety to your family will help prevent unfortunate incidents from happening.  However, we can never play it too safe, and making a child ID kit will give everyone a little more peace of mind.

“He was right here a minute ago.”  “I only turned my back for one minute.”  “She never wanders away.”  These excuses and many more often accompany a panicked parent when they discover their child is not at their side.  Children are reported missing every day, making it more important that we keep our eyes on them at all times.

Before the unfortunate happens and you cannot find your child, look to a portable child locator device that acts as a GPS system.  These small but mighty electronics are programmed to your computer within a particular perimeter, allowing the parent to check in on their location at a moment’s notice. This child locator device can also be programmed to send updated texts to your cell phone in order for the child to report in their location easier.

Some devices are waterproof, others are shock resistant.  They are very accurate, with some models able to pinpoint the location within 15 feet.  A panic button is included that allows a child to silently press a button and alert you to their location within seconds. A distress signal is sent to your phone or email, as well as a location beacon on a map.

Child locator devices are readily available, and are another way to provide more accurate security.  Rechargeable batteries make the child locator device always ready, and the small size makes them perfect to take on field trips, family vacations, or any time your child may be away from your home.

As a parent, we all like to think we have eyes in the back of our heads, or at least make our children believe we do.  Our busy lives make it hard to keep a watchful eye on our child every second, and the harsh reality is that a child is reported missing every 40 seconds.  With the assistance of child safety devices, the job of a parent can become a little easier when we can’t be with our child every minute.

There are different child safety devices available that store crucial information about your child.  ID bracelets or devices that attach to key rings house USB keys that provide up to date information.  Current photos, physical descriptions, emergency contact information for parents and daycare providers, medical information such as certain conditions, health insurance information, and more are stored on these small keys that can be instantly inserted into any computer.

Parents can easily obtain kits that assist them in creating these simple child safety devices.  Some allow them to make and store a set of fingerprints.  If a child has serious conditions such as diabetes, allergies, or other serious problems, documentation can be stored that medical personnel can instantly access.  These devices are inexpensive and simple to use, as the kits will simply guide the parent through each step in obtaining information.

Imagine your child gets separated from a school group, or friends at an amusement park.  The information stored on one of these devices will assist law enforcement in helping that child find their parent quickly.  The devices can be worn like a bracelet, or even attached to a ring like a key chain.  They are small an unobtrusive, yet the key making your child safer.  Any parent should consider a child safety device to assist with medical issues, as well as another set of eyes to watch over what means the most to them.

One of the most precious things in life is our children.  Every day, thousands of children are reported missing, as statistics say it is every 40 seconds.  Some of these tragic reports turn out to be kidnappings, as incidents of violence against children are on the rise.  Parents sometimes take for granted that one of the easiest ways to ensure their child’s safety is with proper child identification cards.

The National Child Identification Program was created in part to teach parents the proper channels for child safety, and highly recommends using kits to create child identification cards.  Through a simple process, parents create a set of ten fingerprints that are applied to a card, along with a clear, current photo, contact information, and a physical description.  This information can be immediately given to law officials in case of emergency and increase the response time to a crucial situation.

Child identification cards are easy to create, and should be updated each year as the child changes.  Parents are urged to not wait until school age is upon them and be proactive with the cards starting at birth.  The harsh reality is that situations can arise at any time, and being able to provide this information at a moment’s notice helps law enforcement as well as missing child agencies react with more thorough information.  The ID card can come in handy for a variety of reasons in addition to criminal situations:  if the child becomes lost while traveling, if there is an accident or injury, or if there has been a natural occurrence such as a storm or earthquake that separates the child from family.

The simple steps for making a child identification card make it easy for parents to ensure their child’s safety.  Knowing that fingerprints are one of the most reliable ways to identify a child, other than DNA, make these cards extremely viable.  Many kits take this information one step further by being able to save it digitally on a CD ROM, so that the images can be sent electronically to any law enforcement agency within seconds.  Child identification cards are one step in keeping your child safer with the most up to date information in case of any emergency.

As the holiday season approaches it is important to keep your children safe.  The holidays are fun, festive and a prime season for child predators to be on the lookout for opportunities.  It takes only a few seconds for you to become distracted in a mall or other public space and for your child to be abducted.

Parents should be on the ready.  Child identification kits can help keep your child safe.  Being able to provide updated photograph and other vital statistics immediately to law enforcement and safety officials can help bring your child back quickly and safely.

When a child goes missing it is natural for the parent to panic and be unable to adequately describe their child and provide a recent photograph.  Ask yourself right now, when you are not in a panic mode how tall your child is, how much do they weigh and how accurately can you describe them.  Most parents can only give approximate height and weight information and may struggle to provide identifying characteristics, especially if they are panicked.

The Smart ID Stick is a great option for parent, especially if you have multiple children.  This one stick can contain all of the information for your child or children and be immediately handed to law enforcement in case of emergency.

Many of our franchisees also offer child identification events  and fundraisers to help all children get much needed child identification kits.  Call us to learn more or find a franchise by clicking HERE.

Hollywood Florida is on high alert after two attempted abductions of teen girls.  The sketch of the attempted abductor is posted and anyone with information should contact the authorities.  Police ask anyone with information about the incidents to call Hollywood Police at 954-967-HELP (4357) or Broward County Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 954-493-TIPS (8477).

Suspect in Attempted Abductions

These attempted abductions underscore the risk of all children including teens.  As children become more mobile (able to walk to and from school, the bus stop, friend’s homes, etc) it is increasingly more important that parents consider their child’s safety.

Did you know that the FBI receives well over 2000 missing children reports daily?!?   In the United States, a-child goes missing every 40 seconds.   Recent statistics show that your child has  1 in 42 chance of going missing.

Parents in the Hollywood Florida area are turning to their schools and officials for answers and safety.  Child identification programs are being scheduled at schools from Pre-K through 12th grade to ensure that parents have everything they need should their child ever go missing.

Think about the last time you could not find your child even for a few seconds.  That panic is only magnified when those seconds become minutes.  It is essential you have the information law enforcement needs to begin a search. The first hour is the most critical hour.

In addition to child safety kits, child gps products are flying off the shelves as parents want to know where there children are at all times.

Halloween is a time that many children anticipate for weeks to come.  While children look forward to it, some parents begin to feel anxious.  There are some safety precautions you should consider for Halloween safety.

Keep Your Kids Close

With masks and costumes making it difficult to keep tabs on your children, it is important that you keep them as close as possible.  You may consider blinkers or distance monitors to keep tabs on where your child is.  It takes only a few seconds for a child to go missing.  Parents and guardians can have their attention easily diverted during the holiday and that is why a little extra due diligence is needed.

Know Where You are Trick-or-Treating

Many malls, villages, towns and cities offer “safe Halloween” events where kids can get treats from local businesses, rather than knocking on the doors of strangers.  It is a good idea to try to find these events and enjoy a safer Halloween with your child.

If you are going to visit homes in your area, make sure you are familiar with the homes and try to avoid having your children knock on the door of too many strangers.  Even with you close by there is some potential threat to your children.

Check the Candy

You should examine all the candy before allowing your child to eat it.  if there is any candy that looks questionable (torn wrappers, holes in wrappers, homemade, homemade packaging, etc) you should consider discarding it.

Also, if your child has any food allergies make sure you read the wrappers carefully.  It is common for kids to get treats that they have never seen before.  Some of these treats will have nuts, gluten and other ingredients that some children are allergic to.

As Darkness Falls, Risks Increase

The darker it gets, the higher the risk factor is.  Use extra caution as the sun goes down and keep a closer eye on your children.  Typically it is best to have a parent or guardian, rather than an older child take your child out trick-or-treating.

The holiday is a fun time and can be enjoyed with minimal risks if you take some extra precautions.  Child safety must be something you focus on 365 days per year.

How often should you update your child’s identification kit?  This is  a question we are asked often.  At the very least you want to update it every year.  Think about how much your child grows in a year and how different they look.

Child identification kits include the child’s photograph, fingerprints, height and weight among other information.  Within the course of a year your child’s height and weight will change dramatically.  Most parents feel confident that they can estimate that information, however, even in relaxed situations parents are often well-off in their estimates.

At a recent child identification event in Florida, one of our franchisees compared the height and weight information provided by parents to the actual information (height and weight measurements are taken at child identification kit events).  The franchisee reported that over 70% of the parents that filled in that information provided incorrect information.  This, of course, does not make them bad parents, it simply illustrates the fact that it is very difficult to estimate that information.

In a case of an emergency, parents will be stressed and will be even less likely to have accurate information on hand.  An updated child identification kit can provide the details needed quickly and efficiently.

Make sure your child identification kit is updated every 6 or 12 months.