By Jullie Y. Daza
WHY do we put our children in school? For them to prepare for their future? Long before the world became the favorite hunting ground of predators, an American educator came to town and educated me on the most important reason: We want children to be safe.
Children should be safe, at home, in school, anywhere. I went through the grades, high school, college, graduate school, and it never once occurred to me that safety is the primary reason for school! Now I’ve come across another American, the writer Lisa Gardner, who’s famous for her detective thrillers, including Hide, where she inserts a one-page manual that she aptly calls ”Safety 101.” Safety 101! I was thrilled that OMG, this is it, she’s hit the nail on the head, listing her tips in short sentences for kids as young as seven.
Without the author’s permission but on the assumption that she wouldn’t mind sharing her Safety 101, here it is, with minor editing. It would be worthwhile for parents to read the list aloud to their kids during the long vacation.
Never accept candy from a stranger.
Never leave school with anyone, not even someone who claims to know your parents or your friends.
Never get close to an approaching car. If the driver wants directions, send him to an adult or the police.
Stranger appears in your house or room? Yell, scream, bang on the walls. Sometimes, when a child is deeply terrified, she finds it impossible to operate her vocal cords: hence, kick the furniture, throw a lamp, break small objects, do anything to make noise.
Fight. Kick at kneecaps, gouge at eyes, bite at throat.
Always lock the front door, even when at home in broad daylight. Never answer the door without first looking through the peephole and never acknowledge someone you don’t know.
Walk with your head up, steps brisk. If you feel uncomfortable, catch up to the nearest group of people in front of you and follow them. If you’re threatened in a public bathroom, yell “Fire!” – people will respond to the threat of a fire before they respond to cries of rape.
Feeling uncomfortable in a mall? Run to the nearest female – women are more likely to take action than men.
Do not unlock the door of your car if a stranger is standing behind you. Do not climb into the car without first checking the backseat. Once inside, keep the doors locked at all times.
