TOP 10 SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS

From The Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults – Diocese of San Jose

1. Do ask your son or daughter daily: “What was the best part (high point) and worst part (low point) of your day today?”
2. Do ask your son or daughter: “Did you eat according to the Food Pyramid today?”
3. Do ask your son or daughter: “Do you know the difference between a good/right touch and a bad/wrong touch?”
4. Do ask your son or daughter: “Which (3) safe adults would you tell if somebody was harming you or pressuring you to do something risky?”
5. Do pay attention to non-verbal hints your son or daughter might be trying to communicate, because “Behavior IS Language”. So, ask your children often: “How are you feeling?”
6. Do pay attention to how you as a parent communicate. As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher in life. So, HOW you communicate is often more impactful than WHAT you communicate verbally.
7. Do pay attention on how you treat others in your home. Witnessing Domestic Violence is a form of emotional and psychological abuse with long-term negative impacts.
8. Do talk to your children and other family members about a plan and meeting places in case of emergencies.
9. Do talk to your children about a “Safety Code Word” in case somebody (stranger or family) tells them: “Your mommy or daddy asked me to give you a ride home.”
10. Do teach your children to look for potential injury hazards at home or during play.
 

Click here for flyer with top ten safety tips for parents in English and Spanish.