It is a fact: everywhere you go there is a small possibility of some sort of danger. A dangerous situation could arise at anytime, anywhere. You simply cannot predict when or where it could happen.
As parents, we not only need to keep ourselves safe, we have the responsibility of protecting our children as well. Their lives are in our hands, and that can be one of the scariest things about being a parent! I know it is for me.
However, we can calm that fear simply by learning how to protect ourselves, and by teaching our children to do the same. The first and most important thing to learn is simple: become aware of your surroundings. You must know, see, hear everything that is going on around you. For example, you could practice by asking yourself some of these questions next time you’re out:
Where are you?
What are the people around you doing?
Why are they there?
Do you see anyone or anything suspicious?
Becoming aware of your surroundings will help you identify a potentially dangerous situation, therefore having the ability to prevent it.
It can take some time to get used to it, but keep practicing and it will soon become a habit that you won’t even notice you are doing anymore. Another important part of becoming aware of your surroundings is trusting your instincts. If you have a bad feeling in your gut about someone, or a certain situation – get out! Don’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings. This is your life, your children’s lives, and it is more important to protect them than to worry about hurting someone’s feelings. Follow your gut instinct. That is why it’s there. And if it should be wrong, what harm has been done?
The goal you want to achieve in this is just knowing when something is not right, or when someone has bad intentions. Then you know to get away from that person or situation. Being aware is just the beginning, but very important.
Stay safe!