If your children are old enough to stay home alone, make sure they keep the door locked and never tell anyone who knocks or calls they are home alone.

Teach your children some of the common tricks used by many molesters and kidnappers. Abductors will say things like there is an emergency, that a family member is hurt, or that a pet has been in an accident and to come with them immediately!!! Tell your children that if a stranger approaches them with one of these lines, the child should check with their parents, other trusted adults, or a police officer.

Parents should not become lax about kids going to a friend’s home in a neighborhood on foot or bike. Abductions can happen in an instant. Children should be instructed to call when they arrive at a friend’s home so you know they are safe.

Parents should keep on hand a high-quality recent photo of each child, such as a school photo. Law enforcement officials consider photos the best tool in finding missing children.

Parents should be cautious about the blatant use of a child’s name on a backpack or jacket. Pedophiles may read their name off the attire, call them by name, and try to pretend they are not a stranger. Kids sometimes believe that a person can not be a stranger if the person knows them by name.

Discuss with your kids what they should do if they get lost in a public place such as a mall or store. Remind your children that they should never go out to the parking lot to look for you. Instruct your children to ask a cashier for help or stand near the registers or front of the building away from the doors. It is sad we live in a world where a child cannot walk alone in a parking lot or stand near doors, but that is what it takes to keep them safe from predators.

Teach your kids to never go anywhere with a stranger, even if it sounds like fun. Predators can lure children with questions like “Can you help me find my lost puppy?” or “Do you want to see some cute kittens in my car?” Remind your children that adults they don’t know should never ask children to help or to do things for them.