quick clicks

preschoolers today articles

preschoolers today q&a

children today articles

children today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Expert Q&A

	By Diana Jones Safety Expert

There was an attempted child abduction in my neighborhood a few weeks ago. Luckily it failed. I believe it was a "push in" type assault. What steps should my "latch key" children take to be sure that they are not followed into our building?

There are some good rules that apply to all children who must travel to andfrom places without adult accompaniment. These are rules that "latch key" children in particular should be very familiar with and comfortable using.

Whenever possible, children traveling home alone should do so in groups. Children are significantly less likely to be approached by a harmful adult if they are not alone. At the beginning of each new school year, parents should attempt to assemble a group of children who will be responsible for walking to and from school together. If parent find this difficult, they should consult the school for assistance. Your child should be instructed that if at any time he or she has a conflict that prevents them from traveling with the group, he must always alert you ahead of time and get approval so that an alternative plan can be put into place.

Latch key children should never advertise; they should wear their keys in an inconspicuous place -- under their shirts on a string or pinned inside a back pack or coat pocket out of view. But they should not wait until they reach their destination to remove the key if it is pinned in place, because this could be awkward. If someone is observing their behavior, fumbling to unpin the key could call attention to the fact thatthey are letting themselves into the building alone.

If a child senses that something is not right, she should not attempt to enter the building. In addition to someone dangerous entering right behind her, a child may view someone or something already inside the building that seems unusual or suspicious. In these cases, it is much more prudent to remain on the busy street in full view of passers-by. Parents should take the time to walk the neighborhood with their children and establish businesses and other locations such as police stations,libraries, post offices, etc., where their child can go to seek assistanceif need be. If a child is uncomfortable when reaching home and wants to avoid entering the building, she should know to enter one of these pre-established locations and ask for help.

Parents can try to find a trusted adult or older child from the building or neighborhood who can greet the child at the building door. Senior citizens and other parents are often a good choice for this role.

Some dangerous adults just look for random opportunities, while others observe a child's behavior over time and make an opportunity. Therefore, itis always prudent if your child is walking home alone (without group support) to have him or her vary her routine from week to week. Of course, these changes is routine must be pre-established with the parent.

As in all safety issues involving abduction and abuse, avoiding problemsand risk-creating situations is always the best alternative. Whenever possible, parents should attempt to enroll their children in after-school activities that will keep them occupied and supervised until the parents can pick them up at the end of the day.

View more Q&A by this Expert