Maintaining safety at home is something that cannot be accomplished by a single person but needs participation from everyone in the family. There are various aspects that every family needs to ensure that home is a safe place for all the members.
Regarding Safety Rules, there are many “categories” that we could think about, but each family knows best what to highlight.
Here we share some examples of general Safety Rules:
* Know your complete home address, telephone number including area code * If children are old enough to answer the telephone, they should be taught how to dial 911. * Never play with fire * Never cross the street without checking for traffic * Never ride in a car without wearing a seatbelt * Never play with guns * Never ride on wheels without wearing a helmet * Never use a sharp tool without an older person’s help |
Here we share some examples that you could include in your Family Touching Safety Rules:
* It’s never okay to touch someone else’s private body parts * It’s never okay for someone to touch his or her own private body parts in front of you * It’s never okay for someone to ask you to touch his or her private body parts * It’s never okay for someone to ask you to take your clothes off or to take photos or videos of you with your clothes off * It’s never okay for someone to show you photos or videos of people without their clothes on |
“Alongside your family’s other safety rules, establish an “Always Ask First” rule. This means that your kids should always ask you or the adult in charge before anyone can give them something, take them somewhere, or do something with them.” - https://www.earlyopenoften.org/talk-about-it/practicing-safety-rules/
One way to practice the Always Ask First Rule, is to ask your child what would he/she do in specific situations, such as:
- What would you do if someone you know offered you a ride home?
- What would you do if you were in the park and someone you don’t know asked you to help look for a lost ball or a puppy or kitten?
- What would you do if your coach wanted to give you an unexpected present?
- What would you do if a neighbor wanted you to go to his house and have a snack?
- What would you do if your friend wanted you to play with a lighter?
- What would you do if someone wanted you to hold a gun?
- What would you do if someone dared you to jump in the river?
- What would you do if a bigger kid who lives in our neighborhood wanted to play a touching game with you?
- What would you do if your cousin grabbed your private parts while playing a game with you?
To have your children acting out what they would do and practicing the words they would use to say “no” it’s very useful to build confidence and being assertive in their answers. You can always ask “What else could you say?” or “Who else could you tell?” When your child is comfortable with general safety situations, extend the practice to include touching situations. Make sure the situations are concrete, and include people they know as well as people they don’t.
Reference: https://www.earlyopenoften.org/talk-about-it/practicing-safety-rules/
- What would you do if someone you know offered you a ride home?
- What would you do if you were in the park and someone you don’t know asked you to help look for a lost ball or a puppy or kitten?
- What would you do if your coach wanted to give you an unexpected present?
- What would you do if a neighbor wanted you to go to his house and have a snack?
- What would you do if your friend wanted you to play with a lighter?
- What would you do if someone wanted you to hold a gun?
- What would you do if someone dared you to jump in the river?
- What would you do if a bigger kid who lives in our neighborhood wanted to play a touching game with you?
- What would you do if your cousin grabbed your private parts while playing a game with you?
To have your children acting out what they would do and practicing the words they would use to say “no” it’s very useful to build confidence and being assertive in their answers. You can always ask “What else could you say?” or “Who else could you tell?” When your child is comfortable with general safety situations, extend the practice to include touching situations. Make sure the situations are concrete, and include people they know as well as people they don’t.
Reference: https://www.earlyopenoften.org/talk-about-it/practicing-safety-rules/
Family Code of Conduct
The way we learn about which behavior is acceptable to others and which one is not, includes many factors, but it is in our family environment where we learn the social, moral an ethical behavior that later on we will develop in society.
The code of conduct and values are imparted by the family based on how they act with each member and others around them. Children learn these behaviors by observing the actions of their parents and other siblings, but it is also important to develop a written agreement, so each member of the family knows what it is allowed and what it not.
Here we share a template if you want to start yours:
https://www.d2l.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Family-Code-of-Conduct-Worksheet.pdf
The code of conduct and values are imparted by the family based on how they act with each member and others around them. Children learn these behaviors by observing the actions of their parents and other siblings, but it is also important to develop a written agreement, so each member of the family knows what it is allowed and what it not.
Here we share a template if you want to start yours:
https://www.d2l.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Family-Code-of-Conduct-Worksheet.pdf