Unfortunately no neighborhood is completely immune to crime. However, there are steps you can take to help keep your family and your neighborhood safe.
* Know where your children are. Have your children tell you or ask permission before leaving the house and give them a time to check in or be home. When possible, have them leave a phone number of where they will be.
* Help children learn important phone numbers. Practice reciting their home phone number and address, and your work and cell phone numbers.
* Set limits on where your children can go in your neighborhood. Do you want them crossing busy roads? Playing in alleys or abandoned buildings? Are there certain homes in your neighborhood that you don’t want your children to go to?
* Get to know your children’s friends. Meet their parents before letting your children go to their home and keep a list of their phone numbers. If you can’t meet their parents, call and talk to them. Ask what your children might do at their house and if they will be supervised.
* Choose a safe house in your neighborhood. Pick a neighbor’s house where your children can go if they need help.
* Work together with your neighbors. Watch out for suspicious and unusual behavior in your neighborhood. Get to know your neighbors and their children so you can look out for one another.
I’ve lived in my neighborhood for 14 years. I love it here. I know most of my neighbors, we have good schools and feel quite safe. My friend gave me a website to go to – she said that it would help me be aware of the crimes in my area. To be honest, I was quite shocked to find out what was really going on in my neighborhood. Here’s the website link so that you can check out what’s happening around you: http://www.criminalcheck.com/
This website is quite cool. All you have to do is type in your zip code and then you can view a map or list of the criminals in your area. I think that it’s a great help to families and will help us be safer. It definitely provides a way that we can start a dialog with our children about being aware and not too trusting of people – even if they are our next door neighbors. One other program that I’ve been involved in for several years is McGruff. Talk to you school and see what you need to do to become a McGruff house. Awareness and education are the best safety tools!
-Jenny
An Amber Alert was issued for a missing 3-year-old DeKalb County boy Wednesday.
Investigators said the child, Evan Luangsobath, may be in danger.
His babysitter was supposed to drop him off at a daycare facility in Tucker Tuesday afternoon, but they never showed up.
Police are searching for the babysitter — 45-year-old Jeffrey Strickland. Officers believe the suspect may be mentally unstable.
Officers believe Strickland may be in a tan Toyota Sienna with Georgia tag AZZ-8605.
Authorities in Valley, Ala., are searching for blond, brown-eyed Brandi Michelle Weldon, 15, who has been missing since Wednesday morning.
An Amber Alert has been issued for the teen, who “may be in need of medical attention,” according to the alert.
Read more: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2010/04/01/1072081/amber-alert-issued-for-brandi.html#ixzz0k0Yv7S0o
- Jenny
If you think your child is being bullied or if your child has told you that he or she is being bullied, you can help. Parents are often the best resource to build a child’s self confidence and to teach him or her how to best solve problems. Here are a few ways you can help:
* Talk to your child’s teacher about it instead of confronting the bully’s parents. If the teacher doesn’t act to stop the bullying, talk to the principal.
* Teach your child nonviolent ways to deal with bullies, like walking away, playing with friends, or talking it out.
* Help your child act with self confidence. With him or her, practice walking upright, looking people in the eye, and speaking clearly.
* Don’t encourage your child to fight. This could lead to him or her getting hurt, getting in trouble, and beginning more serious problems with the bully.
* Involve your child in activities outside of school. This way he or she can make friends in a different social circle.
I feel like most children have been bullied at some point in their life. I’m not saying it is right or acceptable, but that it does happen to most of us. I remember being in elementary school and being bullied myself. I wore very thick glasses and sometimes had to wear a patch over my lazy eye. I hated it! I felt odd and knew that I didn’t look like everyone else. I was often called “four eyes”. It definitely hurt my feelings. I never told my parents – I just lived with it. Often I would just go along with it or make fun of my glasses myself. I felt like it would take the sting out of it if I laughed at it too. Thank goodness for contacts!
One of my kids has been on the other side of this issue where he has been the bully. I had a very upset mother get a hold of me with the complaint. As a parent, I hit the nail right on the head. I sat down with my child and explained how his actions hurt another. We made a card of apology to the other child. I went and met with his teacher and principal and told them that I wouldn’t tolerate this behavior and to get a hold of me if it continued. Once my child realized that I wouldn’t condone this or cover for him – he shaped up and I think learned a great lesson.
-Jenny
I love amusement parks. My family loves Disneyland, Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, etc. You name it – we’ve probably spend a lot of money there! I do hate the crowds. Sometimes it’s a sea full of people walking around shoulder to shoulder.
- Bring at least one adult to supervise every two kids under the age of 5.
- Don’t put children on rides that frighten them.
- Talk about what to do if your child becomes frightened while riding. Tell her not to get out of the car, but to remain seated and keep her feet and hands inside the ride at all times.
- Never sneak children onto rides for which they are too small or too young.
- Teach your children to stay seated until the ride comes to a complete stop. Children who are in a rush to be the first off or in a hurry to get to the next ride may try to exit while the ride is still moving.
- Use good judgment when deciding whether to let your child board a particular ride. Base your decision on your child’s ability to follow directions and stay seated.
When my children were younger, I was very concerned that they’d get lost in one of these big parks. I used to think that the child “leash” was degrading until I had my third child. He could disappear in seconds. One time I did invest in and take a “leash” to Disneyland. We got some strange looks. I didn’t care. I needed it. I’m all about safety. We have rules when going to places like this. We always use the buddy system, we never go to the bathroom alone, and we communicate where we are going to be. I am always trying to teach my kids to be aware of their surroundings and if something doesn’t feel right – then it probably isn’t.
Another AMBER Alert has been issued for 2 boys who were abducted from a home in downstate Decatur.
The State Police in Illinois said 1-month-old Jamarcus Upchurch and 4-year-old Terry Antonio Smith was taken from a home at East Cantrell Street in Decatur around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Police said the children were last seen with 2 black men, about 5-foot-8. Their faces were covered and they were wearing dark clothing.
Further info: AMBER Alert Issued For 2 Boys From Decatur
-Jenny
