Autism Soccer: Personal Safety: What to Teach Your Children

Teach them how to behave and protect themselves.

When it comes to parenting, there are a few things that come to mind: Nutrition, shelter, education and love at the forefront of the worries of a parent. But there’s another one that although it’s not as pressing or doesn’t pop into their minds right away, it’s one of the things that causes more preoccupation for them: their personal safety. Truth is that most of the children are naturally friendly, and are not as wary of the world as most of the adults in the world

This makes them easy targets for people with bad intentions towards them, and it's a constant preoccupation in the back-burner of their parent’s minds. For that you need to prepare them ahead, to give them the tools to prevent harm from other people in every way possible. But sometimes it might seem harder than it looks like. So, what are you teaching your children to keep themselves safe? These are a few tips that you can use for that! Let them know that this is important for them, encourage the application of this in every step of their lives:

Prepare information: Telephone numbers, address, name of their parents, workplaces and such are great bits of information that your child needs to know in order to be safe. Why? In case something happens to them they’ll know where to find you! You can put a plastified card with that coded information in their clothing.

Trust in their instincts: There’s a survival method that has kept humans alive for the expanse of their existence on earth, and that’s instinctive behavior. Sometimes, children can pick up easily subtle behavioral cues that can help them be safe in dangerous situations.

Speak up their concerns: If something doesn't feel right, let them know it’s ok to voice it over, and make sure that it’s not dismissed. Children can be expressing their feelings to you, and as you know how to interpret them, you can pick up odd behaviors that need to be changed to keep them safe.

Control their emotions: Children that have a high control in their emotional responses are more calm in stressful situations, and this might be the difference between safety and danger. Prepare them and let them know that when they are calmer, thoughts come more easily.

Wariness above all: Parents think that strangers are the only ones that can harm their children. In fact, there’s a great percent of kids that are hurt or taken by people that they are familiar with. Let them know that if they don’t feel safe or comfortable, it’s ok to tell you. In some cases, this makes a huge difference.

Create safety system: Some stranger might lure your child telling them you are in danger. And they will go willingly with them most of the time. Prepare them ahead for this situation, create a safety system where only one people can pick them up in case you are delayed, or something. Use a card of a special sign for them to identify in those cases.

Preparing your children to be safe whenever you are not around is great for them. It will increase their chances of getting away unscathed in case of dangerous situations. The knowledge works as well as a booster, increasing their self-confidence and creating a sense of independence that will accompany them throughout their lives. To keep this behavior and helping them create bonds with strangers in a controlled setting, why don’t you take your children to Autism Soccer? They have great alternatives and practices to help your kid build lasting bonds with other people!