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With Halloween fast approaching, Larry and Kimberly Elliott of Executive Defense Technology are doing a lot of radio and TV interviews on Halloween safety for your kids. An area that they are being quizzed on is safety tips for teenagers that head out for a night of fun.
Remember, Halloween is for teens, too. It is an incredibly exciting time for them because this is the age where kids want to venture out for Trick-or-Treat fun without their parents. They are at an age where being on their own is not only cool but a necessary part of their development as they make their way into adulthood. The good news for you is that you can let them go with a few common sense safety tips:
1. Teenagers should head out in a group of least four individuals or more. Heading out alone is not an option! Make sure your teenager is with a group of good friends. Make sure that they know everyone well. Halloween is not a good time to be running around costumed in the dark with strangers or new friends they are not very familiar with.
And since we don’t want to forget about “Personal Safety”, make sure your children (young and older) follow these suggestions so they don’t become “easy targets” for predators:
1. Stay in well lit areas and avoid dark, lonely locations / paths.
2. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. If someone makes you uncomfortable, cross the street, head the other direction and go to a house of a family that you know and trust. (Review “Safe Houses” with your kids BEFORE Halloween so they know exactly where they can go for help)
3. Never give your name or details about yourself to a stranger.
4. Only visit the houses of the neighbors that you know and are familiar with – don’t drop your children off in areas you are unfamiliar with.
5. Let the adults be the one to answer the door to Trick-or-Treaters. Don’t let the children answer by themselves.
6. Never get close to or into a strangers car or go with them ANYWHERE. If a car pulls up, advise your children to take a few steps back. They should never get close enough so they can be grabbed unexpectedly. If someone needs help or directions, they should be asking an adult – not a child!
7. If you are approached, use your voice! FBI statistics say that 70-80% of assaults can be stopped by good verbal boundaries alone.
Staying safe is a choice! We still have a few days before the Halloween holiday – practice and rehearse safety with your kids so they know what is expected of them and how to prevent accidents or assaults BEFORE they happen.
Have a safe, fun Halloween!
Author: Kimberly Cheryl Elliott, MBA, PhD is CEO of Executive Defense Technology, LLC located in Missouri. The mission of the company is to educate individuals on personal safety and awareness as well as training others the Rape / Aggression/ Defense (RAD) self-defense course. She is the author of: Take this pill…and sell it! ; Escape from the Pharma Cartel; and Are Your Habits Killing You? A Personal Safety Handbook. She can be reached at www.execdeftech.com.
Upcoming Community Programs you can participate in: 1. RAD Training classes to begin at Oakville high school for girls 13 - 18 and their mothers on Monday, January 7th,2008 2. RAD Training Classes at Forest Park Community College to begin at University City High School starting March 19th, 2008 3. 3 hour Community Awareness Programs at St Louis Community Colleges - Saturday, February 23: Wildwood community college; Saturday, March 8: Meremac Community college; Spring Safety Day at Flo Valley Community college on Saturday, April 19th, 2008; Saturday, April 26th: Forest Park Community college; Saturday, May 10th: Forest Park Community college - SIGN UP AND JOIN US!
To Schedule a Program: Visit our website to schedule a program for your next Lunch and Learn / business meeting / seminar / get together /
