Tips From Moms

There is nothing more terrifying than the thought of your child wondering off with a stranger, there are ways to avoid it. It's good to start early, as early as you possibly can. Here are some tips

Keep them close - When going on a shopping trip or crowded place, keep your child very close. Either in a shopping cart or holding their hand.

Never take your eyes off them - When going to the park or on play dates, keep your eyes on your child. It takes only a split second for something bad to happen.

Start a safety group - Get together with other mothers and form a safety group. This group will be the group you can go to the park with or restaurants. When at the park make a plan, all mothers should keep an eye on the children and keep an eye on the surrounding people. If one of the mothers notices something out of the ordinary such as a strange person standing by the fence just watching, somebody trying to hide in bushes or behind a tree, if there is somebody sitting in a truck, van, car just watching, be sure to notify the police. It is a good idea to include your husbands or boyfriends on these outings, that way if you moms do notice something out of the ordinary, you will have men close by to check out the situation.

Teach your child about stranger danger - All kids should know about stranger danger, it's a good idea to start as early as your child can understand. Tell them that not all people can be trusted, and be sure to tell them to never walk away with a stranger. Teach them that they should never get into a car with somebody they do not know. Teach them that they should never get into a car with somebody they do know unless you say that it is okay. Be sure to teach them that if a stranger offers them candy or gifts, they should run to the closest person or house and scream at the top of their lungs.

Teach your child what to do if she/he is getting abducted - Teach your child, that if somebody does grab them and tries to drag them away, kick, scream, bite, scratch, hit, scream for help etc. Everyday go over key things they need to memorize such as his/her full name, your full name, their fathers full name, your phone number, your address, a close relatives full name, phone number & address. Teach them that if they do see people after being abducted, they should try to signal that they need help. Teach them to try to get away as much as possible such as going to a restroom, once they are in the rest room tell them that they should try to leave some evidence that they need help such as writing the following " My name is _______ I'm __ years old I've been abducted. My mom is ____________ her phone number is ______________ please help me " tell them to include where they might be headed if the abductor has said anything about it, tell them to include if they know who abducted them. Teach them that they need to do this as quickly as possible. If they use a restroom inside of a restaurant, tell them to find the closest person to them such as a waitress/waiter and tell them what is going on.

Cell phones - Every child should have a cell phone when they are old enough to understand that the cell phone is for emergencies. They have certain cell phones that do not have numbers but are programmed to call certain numbers such as 911, home, moms cell etc. With Telus Mobility, they have the kid find feature, very inexpensive, and does come in handy when you need it. What it is, is a program on the Telus Mobility web site that allows you to track your childs exact location. For 5 dollars extra a month you can use it as many times as you would like. I'm sure other cell phone providers have the same. These programs do come in handy when your child is late for curfew or when your child says they are going out with friends.

Dangers of being out at night alone - It's extremely important to teach your child the dangers of being outside at night alone, remind them to always stay with friends and if it's time to go home either ask for a ride from a parent or call home and ask you to go pick them up. Tell them about all of the things that may happen if they are to go outside alone at night such as being abducted, getting beat up, sexually assaulted etc. If they are out walking home with a friend and if they notice that they are being followed, they should run to the closest house and yell for help.

Old enough or not? - Never leave young children home alone, before you leave a child home alone you should be sure that they are mature enough. All kids have different maturity levels, some are higher than others. Before you leave a child home alone teach them the following : Never open the door for strangers. Always keep the doors and windows locked. Never tell anybody that you are alone in the house. Always leave the lights on inside and outside (if it's dark outside). Close all of the curtains when it's dark outside. Do not trust anybody, make sure they know that anybody could be a predator and that there are people out there that will impersonate people such as cops, mail man, plumber, cable man etc.

Lost in the mall etc. - Teach your child that if they are to get separated from you they should find a cashier and tell them " My name is __________ I lost my mommy her name is ____________. Please help me ".

Online safety  - There are many ways predators find their prey, including online. Chances are these predators are already trying to make their way into your home onto your computer screen. There are many ways you can avoid this. Keep all computers in a family room such as the living room, kitchen, etc. Never let a child have a computer in their room with an internet connection. Always monitor a child while they are on the computer and try to learn all of the "online slang". Limit computer time to an hour at a time. Turn off all computers before you go to bed and be sure to put passwords on them, this way your child cannot sneak onto the computer when the rest of the family is asleep.

Never leave them - Never leave your children in a car alone, even if it's only for a few seconds, those few seconds is all it takes for an abductor to snatch them away. When you have your child/children in the car and you need to gas up always go to a gas station that has service, never use self serve pumps when your children are in the car.

Double check - Make sure all windows and doors of your home are locked, even in the day time and when you are inside. At bedtime double check all of the doors and windows, make sure they are all locked. If possible, get an alert system installed in your home and never leave a garage door opened.

Avoid names on items - Avoid writing your childs name on clothing and other items, a child is more likely to walk off with somebody who knows their name.

Teaching teen girls - Teaching your teen girls that dressing in sexy clothing will attract the wrong kind of attention especially in older men, is a great way to avoid abduction. Tell them that they should never flirt with strangers or older guys because this could be very dangerous. Be sure to check your teens school bag before school to make sure they are not hiding any clothing that may be too tight and too short. Always check their closet and dressers to make sure they do not own anything that may be too revealing and always try to involve yourself in your teens shopping trips to be sure they are not buying any clothing of that kind. Teach your teen girls that they do not need make up to look beautiful, wearing make up will only make them look older and this is very dangerous for an under age girl.

Custody - If you and the father of your child or children are separated you must get your custody papers in order. Go to court and be sure you have full custody of your child/children. This way if the father was abusive, aggressive etc, he will not be able to run away with the kids and get away with it. Always know where the father lives and where he moves to. This way if he is to kidnap your children the police will know the first place to look and who to talk to. Make sure you have a photo of the father to give to the police and make sure you know the description of his vehicle. If this kind of situation is to happen any information you give the police will be helpful.

Keep up to date photos - Taking photos at least once every 6 months is a good idea. Having recent photos of your child is the best to give to police if an abduction does happen. Try to remember what your child is wearing everyday. If your child has a cell phone be sure that the GPS is always turned on.


When we hear of child abductions we think, that will never happen to me, but anything can happen. It's better to be safe than to lose your child. This is something we as moms do not like to think about but we have to think about it, we have to come together and keep our children safe. This is our JOB. Let's not have another childs face on a missing poster. Let's not have another childs face in the news papers. Let's not have another childs face on the local news channels. LET'S STAND TOGETHER AND TAKE THE STEPS NEEDED TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.