Page 156 - Wake Up and do Your Thing

WAKE UP AND DO YOUR THING
intention of keeping them safe from potential danger. While it's certainly important to teach children about personal safety and to be cautious when interacting with people they don't know, the phrase "beware of strangers" can also create unnecessary fear and mistrust.
Instead of focusing on the identity of the person, it may be more useful to teach children to recognize and avoid strange or suspicious behavior. For example, a child may encounter a friendly stranger who is genuinely trying to help, while someone they know may exhibit strange or concerning behavior that should be cause for alarm.
By teaching children to identify strange or concerning behavior, they can learn to trust their instincts and protect themselves in a wider range of situations. Some examples of strange behavior that children might be taught to look out for include:
• Someone asking them to keep a secret from their parents or guardians
• Someone trying to lure them away from a public place or a group of people
• Someone asking them to do something that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe
• Someone touching them inappropriately or invading their personal space
By focusing on behavior rather than identity, we can help children develop a more nuanced understanding of
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