Holiday Season Awareness & Prevention Tips Series | Children

[VIDEO DESC: Michelle, a white female, is wearing a mauve with lace design shirt and a pair of dark eyeglasses. Behind her is a sage green background with a gold framed picture between a pair of mirrors.]

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Holiday Season Awareness & Prevention Tips | December 22, 2020

SHOPPING:
Instruct children on holiday safety measures.
Know where your children are at all times. Do not leave them unattended.
Before going shopping, decide where to meet if you and your children should get separated.

AT HOME:

• Make sure all doors and windows have secondary locks (window pins, deadbolts, dowels, etc.) and use them!
• Don’t hide spare keys in mailboxes or planters, or under doormats.
• Ensure that dark areas and entrances have outdoor lights that are turned on after dark or are activated by motion sensors.
• Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed so they do not conceal doors and windows. Remember, overgrown foliage can provide a hiding place for criminals.
• Place gifts out of sight where they can’t be seen from the outside.
• Consider safe deposit boxes for coin and stamp collections, seldom-worn jewelry, stock bonds, etc.
• Be sure to mail cards, checks or gift certificates from the Post Office or at a blue U.S. Postal Service collection box.
• Lock your vehicle and remove all the valuables. Yes, even in your driveway.

IN PUBLIC:

• Use the “two giant steps” rule-your kids can never be more than two giant steps away from you. It’s a fun and easy way for young children to remember not to wander away.
• Dress your child in brightly colored clothes so it is easy to spot
Always bring young children into the restroom with you.
• Discuss age-appropriate safety issues with your child in a calm, non-fearful manner. Replace the word “strangers” with “tricky people.”. For example in urgent situations, we need to seek a person to help identify which is not a tricky person.
• Make sure that your child knows your cell phone number.

STRANGERS AT YOUR DOOR:

• Use caution anytime there is a stranger at your door.
• Be suspicious of unexpected sales calls or deliveries. Ask for identification.
• Be aware of scams that criminals commit to take advantage of people’s generosity during the holidays.
• Investigate charities before making donations. Ask how the funds will be used.

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