As soon as your children can articulate a sentence, you should begin teaching them how to protect themselves. The following are some basic safety rules to convey:

• If you get separated from your parents in a public place, go to a checkout counter, security office or lost and found area. Tell the person in charge that you need help finding your parents.
• If someone wants to take your picture, say NO and tell your parents, day care provider or teacher. 
• Do NOT get in a car or go anywhere with any person unless your parents have told you that it is okay. (Parents: Share a code word with your child known only among family members. Stress to your child that anyone offering a ride unexpectedly, even a family friend, will have been given the code word in advance.) If someone follows you on foot or in a car, immediately get to a safe area.
• Don't approach the car of anyone who claims to be asking for directions or looking for a lost pet.
• If someone tries to take you somewhere without your parents' permission, quickly get away from him or her and scream, "This person is not my parent."
• Always ask your parents' permission to go somewhere and try to have a friend with you.

Basic Safety Rules For Parents

Use your eyes, ears and intuition to help you protect your children. Here are some safety rules for parents:

• Know where your children are at all times. Insist they ask permission to go to a friend's house or play in the neighborhood. Be sensitive to changes in your child's behavior. Keep the lines of communication open so you can ask your child what's going on. Be alert to a teenager or adult who is paying an unusual amount of attention to your child or giving them inappropriate or expensive gifts.
• Remember what your child is wearing each time your child leaves the house.
• Do not permit your child to wear any clothing that has your child's name visible to others. Personalizations can help a kidnapper gain your child's trust.