How to Teach Kids About Strangers

Use age-appropriate language to talk to your children about strangers. A gradeschool child will have some understanding of what a stranger is and may be aware of media coverage of child abductions and pedophiles. Remind your child that a stranger is anyone he doesn't know and that a stranger may be a good person or a bad person. Give your gradeschooler examples of adults he can trust, such as his grandparents, teachers or the parents of his best friend.

Assure your child that she always has the right to say no or to yell and make a scene, if she is scared or doesn't feel comfortable with someone. Let her know that she won't get into trouble if she turns out to be wrong about that person. Teach your child from a young age that certain parts of her body shouldn't be touched by anyone else.

Set ground rules. A gradeschool child is likely to be left unsupervised in public at times, so it's important to provide clear rules. Tell him that it's alright to say hello to a stranger when you're nearby but that he shouldn't talk to a stranger if he's on his own. Tell your child that he should never -- under any circumstances -- go anywhere with a stranger without permission from you or one of the other adults he knows and trusts.

Carry out role play with your child to teach her how to stay safe around strangers. Use "What would you do if" questions to act out various potentially dangerous scenarios. For example, "What would you do if a stranger approached you in the park when I wasn't there?" Make sure your child has a clear understanding of what she should do in different situations -- for example, if someone pulls up in a car to ask for directions when she's playing with friends, she should take a step back from the car and point to show the direction. If the person gets out of the car, your child should back away, turn around, and make her way into the house or school to get an adult.

Remember that the purpose of teaching your child about strangers is to empower him, not frighten him. Focus on equipping him with the knowledge and skills he needs to keep himself safe, rather than scare him with statements like "A stranger might kidnap you, and you'll never see me again." Keep it positive and make sure he knows how to handle potentially dangerous situations -- for example if he's left home alone and a stranger comes to the door, he should keep it locked and say "My mom isn't able to answer the door right now."

Establish rules and safety procedures for using the Internet as soon as you feel your child is old enough to go online unsupervised. Keep all computers in a common area of the home so that you can easily check what she's doing. Tell your child never to give any personal information to anyone she meets online, no matter how friendly that person seems. If you let your child use social networking sites, keep a record of her passwords so that you can check her activity. Tell her to alert you if she feels uncomfortable with anything that happens while she's using the Internet or if anybody asks her to meet up in the real world.