Family Safety Night*

A NIGHT TO CONNECT AND HAVE FUN

Children should walk around smart and not scared. Parents want to give their children the right information, but can get overwhelmed in how to present information in a way that won’t scare their children.

A series of Family Safety Nights, centered on open, honest communication, can be a very rewarding time for families. It is a good idea to visit websites such as www.jwf.org and www.netsmartz.org to get good quality information before your night begins.

First, gather the items listed below to use during your Family Safety Night:

• Food – This is a good night for ordering in so that the focus can be on the information and not the preparation or clean up.
• The Whole Family – The family definition can be expanded if you want to share the information with other adults who care directly for your children.
• A Computer (if you have one).
• Q-tips, Plastic Bags, and Labels – To collect D.N.A., and
• Camera, Tape Measure, Scale and Paper/Pens.

Topics to Discuss and/or List on your Family Safety Plan:

• Personal Safety – Play “what if” games to learn different ways to respond to confusing or dangerous situations. What if we were shopping and we were separated? What if an adult makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Online Safety – Is a signed Internet Safety contract with our rules and expectations posted by the computer? What are the family rules regarding the computer and internet use?
• Tornado and Fire Safety – Where is our place to meet outside of the home if there is a fire? What should we do in case of severe weather?
• Five Trusted Adults – do you have a phone list of 5 trusted adults outside of your family that everyone feels comfortable calling for additional help?

Family Safety Night Activities

• Take D.N.A. of each family member: firmly rub the inside cheek with a Q-tip for 30 seconds, place inside a plastic bag and label with name and date. Put the bags in the freezer.
• Take a clear, headshot photo of each family member. Use this time to gather accurate height, weight and identifying feature information (such as large scars) about each person.

Lasting Messages
Reinforce the fact that your children are special and deserve to be safe. Keep the lines of communication open with regular discussions and planned safety nights so that your children can talk about fears or unsafe situations in a safe, non-threatening way.

* reproduced with permission
Stephanie Stout,
Manager, Community Outreach
Jacob Wetterling Foundation