Back to School and Child Safety Ideas

Wow - it is the 3rd week of August and although we've been seeing those "back to school sales" since June - it really is just about back to school time.  I don't have to go back to school anymore, but I still can't stand those "back to school" commercials on TV.  Why do they have to remind me that my favorite time of the year, summer, is just about ending.  You can feel it at night - it's dark by 8pm, the pool is a degree cooler than last month, the mosquitoes are huge and even football has made an appearance on our TV.  Is life moving faster because it is all downhill after 40?  Who knows?  But here's a safety tip for parents, getting ready to move into "school mode". 

Along with yearly medical exams, dental visits, new school clothes or updated pieces of uniforms (if you're lucky) have a DNA Profile taken of your child instead of those inky, outdated fingerprints offered by local police stations at stranger danger days.  Unless it is a digitzed fingerprint - it is not as valuable as a DNA Profile, in the unfortuate event of a missing child or loved one.  Although having your child's DNA profile will not locate a missing child, it is an additional tool in your kit to help safeguard children.  Can anyone safely walk to school anymore? 

Many DNA collectors have partnered with their local dentists (www.oscarfgrobdmd.com) so that a simple DNA collection can be performed on the same day as your child's yearly dental appointment. A Child Safety Identification Profile is fast, painless (no needles) and priceless.  If your dentist does not have the newest technology to safeguard your child (DNA Child Safety Identification Profile) ask him to contact the local DNA collector or contact the local DNA collector yourself.  Many DNA collectors also offer discounts to groups of 10 or more - have a CSI Party at your home and let the DNA Lady create your child's unique DNA Profile and identifying documents in a party like atmosphere. The  hostess gets a free Child Safety Identification DNA Profile of one child (or more) depending on total number of participants. 

In the event, your child does go missing - don't wait - call 911 - there is no such thing as waiting 24 hours to report a missing child - gone are those days.  Your local authority will collect as much identifying information as possible about your missing loved one but they will not necessarily run a DNA sample.  Having a CSI Profile readily available arms them and you with today's most up to date technology for safeguarding children.  

Here are a few other actions that can be taken to generate awareness in the event a child or loved one goes missing: 

• Media attention will generate leads.
• Volunteers can organize many events that will keep the story in the hearts and minds of the public.
• Organize students who will distribute posters and flyers.
• Appearances on radio or television talk shows by parents (radio can be done in-studio by telephone, live or taped.)
• Radio stations all across the state can be asked to play your child’s favorite song or a song selected by parents, e.g., “Somewhere Out There” from “An American Tale” and have the song dedicated to the child.
• Hold a rally at the child’s school with music and prayers.
• Organize a benefit dance and/or auction.
• Contact area sports teams to include photos and story in their programs and possibly have a P.A. announcement made at games.
• Produce buttons or T-shirts with your child’s name.
• Dedication of a garden or a tree to the child.
• Hold a candlelight vigil indoors or outdoors.
• Bowling tournaments, marathons, etc. dedicated to your child.
• Contact banks or local businesses to dedicate a Christmas tree/lights to the child.
• Contact radio stations offering to do a telephone interview to remind people to keep watching and looking for the child.
• Have classmates do a letter writing campaign, writing to friends and families across the country telling about the missing child.
• Organize a human chain linking communities school to school, house to church, etc. Radio stations can help organize the crowd. Ask sports celebrities to participate.
• Public Service Announcements and appeals for help on radio and television.
• Mass release of helium filled balloons imprinted with child’s name, or with information about the missing child inside.

The above tips are taken from the Laura Recovery Center Manual.  One of the most important tips, is to take care of yourself - get sleep, eat properly and take help from neighbors, friends and family.  Keep a "visitor's log" of everyone who enters your home after the incident.  Get copies of local newspapers - from the day or week before the incident, the day of the incient and the week after the incident - this will give you an idea of any new workers in the area - road construction, home construction, utility vehicles, cable networks - they are possible witnesses as well as possible suspects.  Ask local utility companies to identify the days their representatives are in your neighborhood - again possible witnesses or suspects.   

An ounce of prevention today is worth a pound of cure tomorrow.  Teach your children to protect their own boundaries.  Reinforce to them to bring attention to themselves in the event that someone (anyone) is bothering them, talking to them, interfering with them, following them, threatening them.  Someone and anyone includes family members, neighbors, teammates, facebook buddy, school mates, strangers in cars, vans, carpools - people at sporting events, grocery stores, malls, block parties - the next door neighbor's visiting uncle, brother, grand parents - someone is anyone not necessarily a man in a tan raincoat these days and sadly teachers and educators are included in this lot. 

Having proper identifying documents (Child Safety Identification DNA Profile) and information readily available to distribute to your local authority and other centers (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) will help you feel you have done everything in your power to safeguard your children.

Happy Back to School Days (ugh.)