How to tell your child about safety without scaring him.

Talking about bigots in the forest, maniacs on the streets and “biting” sockets is the wrong tactic. We have collected eight tips that will help you easily teach your child safety.

1. Give reasons, don’t scare.

Scary stories will make a child worry unnecessarily, but will not teach him how to behave in a critical situation. Focus on safety rather than potential threats, avoiding vivid or emotional details that will only increase fear.

• It is necessary: ​​“Don’t go into the forest without adults - you can get lost there and get lost,” “Bad people can steal you.”
• Don’t: “Don’t go into the forest - there are women, evil wolves and maniacs there,” “Bad people will take you, take you to a scary basement and keep you there in a cage, and then eat you.”

2. Explain gradually

If you tell everything at once, there is a risk that the child will learn only a tiny part. Or, worse, he will get confused and remember the wrong way. It is better to divide security conversations into topics and tie them to situations. For example: if you are walking down the street, discuss traffic rules ; if you go to the beach, talk about water safety.

3. Choose your words carefully and control your emotions

The child reads the emotional mood of the parent, so you need to tell the story calmly, and not strictly or excitedly.

Try to avoid words that can be interpreted in more than one way. For example, “stranger” is unlucky, and here’s why. If you tell a child that he should be wary of all strangers, he will simply begin to be afraid of new people. And ill-wishers will be able to use a simple trick: talk about yourself and stop being a stranger. In addition, sometimes danger to children can come from people they know.

It is better to tell your child that the world is multifaceted and people are different - both acquaintances and strangers. Teach him the rules of personal safety that cannot be violated:

1. "Don't be afraid to express your emotions." If a child doesn’t like the fact that someone is cooing with him, hugging him, sitting him on his lap, or trying to kiss him, he should say so directly. Even if it's a family member.
2. “You have personal boundaries, they cannot be violated.” Explain what sexual integrity is. And be sure to ask your child to talk about strange behavior on the part of adults - acquaintances and strangers.
3. "Don't be afraid to say no." If a stranger simply approached a child on the street and started a conversation, offered to get into his car or go on a visit, he should be able to give a clear refusal .
4. "Listen to yourself." If a child does not like an adult, he may not communicate with him without a twinge of conscience.

4. Let your child dream up

Ask questions and ask for answers. For example: “What do you think will happen if you touch the fire?” or “Which person on the street seems like a bad person to you? Why?" The child will remember his independent conclusions better, especially if you praise them. In this way, you will bring him to an awareness of the situation, and will not simply establish prohibitions.

5. Don't turn safety discussions into serious conversations.

It’s better to talk about the rules casually while you’re going somewhere, having lunch, or getting ready for bed. You can even turn the explanation into a game, so it will be easier for the child to remember.

For example, play “You can - you can’t”, as in “Edible - Inedible”. Throw the ball to the child and name the correct and incorrect actions: if it is done safely, the ball should be caught, if not, thrown away. At the same time, be sure to periodically change roles so that everyone can lead.

In addition to conversations and games , you can watch cartoons and read children's books with rules. Such an entertaining form will captivate the child, and he will be more willing to learn safe behavior.

6. Teach how to ask questions and ask for help.

Ask your child to ask questions when something is unclear or unfamiliar to him. Answer them calmly, even if he asks something that you have already talked about several times. Remember: your main goal is to teach your child safe behavior, and not just give him information.

If you are not around, suppose because the child is lost, he should know which adult he can turn to for help in kindergarten, school , on the street, in the subway, and so on. Explain that among strangers there are people you can trust, such as uniformed employees - salespeople, bank employees, police officers, doctors. And if they are not nearby, it is better to seek help from passers-by with children, grandmothers or married couples.

Important: do not scold your child for screaming on the street. He should know that there is no shame in making noise and running around, and if some unknown uncle or aunt tries to take him away, he should attract attention to himself.

7. Don't scold for mistakes

Do not reprimand or punish your child if he unknowingly puts himself in danger, for example, by reaching into a power socket or taking candy from a stranger. Instead of shouting and threatening, you need to sit down and calmly explain why this cannot be done.

8. Teach by example

If a parent insists that crossing the road is only possible at a zebra crossing or at a traffic light, he himself should not cross the street in the wrong place. Say that you shouldn’t ride in the elevator with strangers, and don’t get in the elevator yourself when you’re traveling with a child.