In home education, it's important that younger students are made aware of the dangers of talking to strangers. Violence towards children is something that home educators should take seriously. Just because our kids spend most of their time at home doesn't mean that they are not at risk. In fact, there have been several news stories recently about children who were harmed or kidnapped in their very own homes! Here's a few things that you can do to make sure that your children know that it's not OK to talk to strangers.
First, teach your children that they are only to talk to those that they trust. Make a list of "friends" that your children can talk to. If someone isn't on the list of friends, it's important that the child knows that they shouldn't talk to them. Sometimes child molesters and kidnappers will approach children claiming to be "mom's cousin" or "Dad's friend". Make sure your kids know that there are people out there who will try to trick them and hurt them. They should also be aware that they shouldn't take candy or toys from strangers. This is a tactic that is used to lure children into vans or unpopulated areas. It doesn't matter how friendly the person looks. If they are a stranger, don't talk! They should also learn that they should not let anyone touch them in a private place other than mom and dad or a doctor. Anyone else should be forbidden. Because many children are molested by family members such as cousins or uncles, they need to know that just because it's a friend doesn't mean that they should allow inappropriate touching.
Mimi Rothschild
Original source: http://www.articlesbase.com/homeschooling-articles/teaching-about-strangers-in-home-education-141298.html
