Preschool safety: Getting lost or hurt

If your child is lost
When separated from a parent in a public place, a child may run, hide, cry, or wander, or the very rare child may take the opportunity to revisit the toy department. It's hard to tell just what your child will do, but give it some thought. You may want to adjust your rules to suit your child's personality. If your child is very shy, for example, and you know he won't ask for help, caution him to "Stay still. Mommy will not be far away."

You may also call out for your child in store. It's a good way to find her, and you are modelling for your child that, if she is lost or in danger, a loud voice is often the best defence.

It's not a good idea to tell preschoolers to look for a police officer. It's not likely they'll meet a police officer on patrol in a shopping mall just when they need her. You could tell your child to ask for help from a store clerk, but few clerks wear identifiable smocks or clothes, and even adults have a difficult time finding them. The best suggestion is to tell your child to look for a mom with small children and ask her for help.

Practise with your child until he knows:
• his name, address, and phone number (including the area code).
• his parents' full names and places of work.
• how to use the home phone to get help (Dial 0 or 911).
• how to use a pay phone (dial 0 or 911).
• who to ask for help.

Safety tip
Keep a supply of your business cards or cards with your name, address, and telephone number to slip in your child's pocket.