Children should be taught how to deal with or avoid strangers

Take time to go over the following safety tips with children:

+Explain who is a stranger. Parents and guardians should explain that strangers come in many shapes and sizes. They can wear nice clothes, different clothes or even a uniform.

+Children should never take anything like candy, ice cream or money from a stranger.

+Children should never talk to strangers or take rides from them.

+If a stranger should ask for directions, kids should stay away.

+Children should never give their name or address to a stranger.

+If a stranger in a car bothers a child, the child should turn and run in the opposite direction.

+If a stranger tries to follow a child on foot or grab them, the youngster should run away, scream and tell their parents.

+Children should never open the door to a stranger.

+If a stranger knocks on the door or rings the doorbell, the child should look out the peep hole or call out, "Who's there?" If the parent is home, the child should tell the visitor to wait and leave the door locked until the parent arrives. If the child is home alone, he should tell the visitor that his parent is busy and to come back later. The child can take a message, but never open the door.

+If the visitor won't go away, they should call 911.

+A child answering the phone shouldn't give out information. If the caller asks "Who's this?" the child should ask who the caller is.

+A child should never tell a caller that she is alone. The child should say the parent can't come to the phone and take a message.

+If the child is scared by the caller, he should hang up and tell a parent about the call.

+Let the answering machine take phone calls if a child is alone.

+Children should always walk to school with a friend.

+If a child is out walking and being followed, she should yell and run into the nearest store, house or school, then tell an adult what happened.

+Parents should walk the child's route to school to make sure it is completely safe.

+Children should stick to the same safe route to and from school. They should never take shortcuts or hitchhike.

+A parent or guardian should always accompany a child to a public restroom.

+In an emergency or if a child gets lost, he should dial 911 (free call) from a pay phone.

For more information, call your police department.

This article was provided by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.