CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS:

• Tell your child how much you love him constantly so that he can always bear in mind that his parents are there to support and help him at the different stages of life and before any crisis he may be going through.
  
  

• Teach your children that if they are at a public place and suddenly become apart, they must not wander around looking for you. They must approach a security guard or some shop and ask for help to find you.
  

• Get references of the people taking care of your children while you are at work or just out.

   

• It is important that both your children and you are careful and alert so as not to be afraid.

   

• Be alert when a teenager or a grown-up pays too much attention at your child or gives him improper or expensive gifts.

   

• Teach your children that nobody should approach them or touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. If someone does so, they should tell you immediately. Nobody should touch them in the private parts of the body.

   

• Teach your children no to get into a car or leave with someone unless you have authorized them.

   

• If a grown-up needs help or information, he should not ask so to a child but to another grown-up.

   

• Have an easy and secret key word with your children. If someone approaches them and tells them that you cannot pick them up and that they should go with him/her, that person should say the key word so that your child is sure you have authorized him/her. If the person does not know the word, tell your child to walk away as fast as possible and tell the teacher or security guard.

   

• Teach them to shout and defend themselves in case somebody takes them against their will. They should shout: “This man (or woman) is not my father (or mother) and is trying to take me!”

   

• Your children should not go anywhere by themselves. Tell them always to move around with a friend.

   

• If someone wants to take a picture of your children, he/she must first ask you for permission. Teach your children not to accept someone take a picture of them without your permission.
  
  

• Teach your children to trust on their instincts and assure them they have the right to say NO to anything they feel is wrong or makes them feel uncomfortable.

   

• Have an effective communication with your children. It is important to create a proper atmosphere at home to make your children feel comfortable to talk about sensitive issues and experiences they may have suffered.

   

• Let them talk openly about the things they like and do not like, their friends and their feelings.

   

• Know where your children are at all time. Get to know their friends and daily activities.

   

• Be aware of any change of behavior in your children; they are a sign that you should talk to them and find you what is going on.

   

As regards Internet…

• Get to know Internet and the services your child uses. If you do not know how to have access to it, ask your child to show you and to teach you what he does when he is "online".

   

• Teach your children all the benefits and dangers of the cybernetic space in order to protect him from a dangerous situation.

   

• Try to place the PC in a family-use room, like the dining room or kitchen rather than the bedroom.

   

• Try to meet your children’s “cybernetic friends” just as you know their other friends.

   

• If your child tells you about an upsetting person or thing he has come across online, do not blame him but help him to avoid future problems.

   

• Teach your child to never reveal information identifying him (address, telephone number, school, etc.) unless he does so under your supervision and authorization.

   

• Your children must know that they should never have a personal meeting with other Internet users without your consent.

   

• It is not convenient for your children to spend long hours in Internet, specially late at night.

   

• Tell your children never to answer email messages or comments from chat room or news groups which are rude, obscene, improper, threatening or just make them feel uncomfortable. If they receive an harassing message with sexual connotation or which is threatening, send a copy of such message to your Internet Service Provider asking for help.

   

• Nowadays there are services that grade web sites according to their contents and filtering programs and navigators that allow parents to block sites they know have questionable material.

(Source: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)