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.

Many parents, family and friends look for fun games for children during the holidays.   There is a great, fun game that also teaches child safety!

The Child Safety Boardgame

The Safety Game is both entertaining and educational.  This great game:

• Helps kids and parents express feelings
• Introduces ethical, positive role models
• Let’s you know how your child may be at risk
• Helps the family create a positive learning experience and atmosphere
• Teaches different options about tough situations

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.

Guard-A-Kid, based in Miami Florida, takes the safety of your children as seriously as you do.  Our entire team including our global franchisees know the importance of child safety.  All of our products and programs are designed with child safety in mind.

This blog is dedicated to providing you with information regarding child safety including the newest child safety products, child identification products, amber alerts, child predator information and other news that can help you keep your child safer.

We invite you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  We ask that you participate in our Facebook group and blog and share important information and resources.  It is impossible for us to check every resource mentioned by our visitors and Facebook followers, we ask that everyone exercise caution and note where the information is being provided and by whom.

It is our sincere hope that this blog and our other resources will provide information vital to keeping all children safe.