As unpleasant and frightening as it may be for parents to think about the possibility of their child being hurt by a predator, it’s crucial that parents talk with their kids about personal safety. Teaching your child how to protect himself against child predators is as important as other measures you use every day to keep him safe, such as making sure he uses a seat belt.

By teaching your child how to avoid possible dangers and what to do if he finds himself in a potentially threatening situation, you will empower your child to know what to do in the event you are not there to protect him. Here are some important tips every parent should know about how to keep your child safe.

Important Tips

Teach your child the power of "No." Child predators are very good at seeking out children who may be afraid or reluctant to oppose an adult, or who may be easily threatened or coerced. Tell your child to trust her instincts if she does not feel comfortable or is scared around someone, to tell that person in a very loud voice, "No!" if she is asked to keep a secret or go somewhere with that person without you, and to tell you immediately about what happened.

Don’t assume your child will know what to do. In his book "Protecting The Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)," security consultant Gavin de Becker mentions a classic segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show that aired in 1993. In the show, Oprah producers and child safety advocate Ken Wooden conducted an experiment (with the parents’ permission) in which they were able to successfully lure away every single child participating in the test out of the playground in an average of 35 seconds. Before the experiment, the parents had insisted that their child would not talk to a stranger or leave the park with someone he or she didn’t know. Needless to say, they were wrong to assume that their child would not be vulnerable.

Don’t focus on "stranger danger." For children, especially younger kids, the concept of just who exactly is a "stranger" can be confusing. They may picture someone who is scary-looking, or who is mean. In fact, child safety experts have shown in experiments such as the one mentioned above that children will often follow someone if that person appears friendly and is persuasive enough (by asking a child to help them find a lost puppy, for instance).

Moreover, as de Becker notes in "Protecting the Gift," by telling a child to not trust strangers, parents are implicitly saying that it’s OK to trust people he may know casually, such as a neighbor or a waiter at a restaurant.

Singling out strangers as dangerous does not address the fact that dangers to children are greater from someone known to them or you than by a stranger, notes Nancy McBride, National Safety Director at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Instead of telling your child not to ever talk to strangers, which may, in fact, deter him from seeking help when he is lost, teach him to find a woman—preferably one who is with a child—and ask her to call 911 or call his parents and tell them where he is. Other options: "Tell your child to go to a sales clerk with a name tag, uniformed law enforcement officer, or a person at an information booth," says McBride.

And if you see a child who appears to be lost? NCMEC produced a piece called, "What Should You Do If You See a Child Who Appears To Be Lost?" to help people know what to do if they encounter a child who seems to be in need of assistance finding his parents or caregiver.

Tell your child that no one should ever invade her personal space. Whether in a public space or at home, emphasize to your child that no one should ever get too close to her without a caregiver or one of her parents present.

Designate trusted adults. Make a shortlist of "safe" grown-ups—such as an uncle, babysitter, grandparent or neighbor—who are allowed to pick her up from school or take care of her when you are not there or are late for pick up. Tell her to never go with anyone else unless you have agreed beforehand to deviate from the list, and always make sure she knows exactly who will be picking her up.

Tell him to never, ever get in a car or go somewhere without a parent or caregiver. Emphasize to your child that if someone he knows (but is not a designated trusted adult) or someone he’s never met before tries to convince or force him to go somewhere with him, then he should scream as loudly as he can, "Help! This is not my dad!" or "Help! This is not my mom!" Tell him that he should also run, and if he is grabbed, that he should punch, hit and kick as strongly as he can.

Don’t instill fear. Just turning on the evening news is enough to make children—and adults—feel as if there’s danger lurking in every corner. Fear of every situation can actually be counter-productive and can make a child so afraid of everything that he is vulnerable to being manipulated by threats.

Instead, give your child the confidence, strength, and tools to prevent and manage potential danger. Rather than focusing on every danger your child could face, empower your child by talking to him about how he would recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations and handle certain unexpected scenarios.

For instance, what would he do if he were accidentally separated from you in a public place? (Answer: Look for a woman with a child or baby and ask her for help.) Or what’s the best way to handle it when someone he knows—say, a neighbor or a friend of the family—ask him to come with him, claiming that you sent him to get you in an emergency? (Answer: Know that only designated trusted adults previously named by you—such as a grandparent or another relative—and no one else is allowed to come and get him.)

Use resources for kids. Watch videos such as The Safe Side — Stranger Safety: Hot Tips To Keep Cool Kids Safe With People They Don't Know And Kinda Know, featuring John Walsh with your child. The Safe Side website also features resources designed for kids such as quizzes, puzzles, and safety tips.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) also has a wealth of free child safety resources for parents, guardians, and children at Missingkids.com.

Repeat these messages. Just as you would with fire drills, practice these safety tips periodically with your child. (Do this especially right at back to school time and at the beginning of summer, when your kids are likely to be outside more — a fact that is all too well known to predators). When you are outside in a crowded place such as a mall or a park, ask your child what she would do if you were to be separated. Which of the people around you would she go to for help? Point out to her some of the people who could assist her. Does she remember your cell phone number?