This is Part II of the same title posted earlier. I suppose a lot can be said about keeping our kids safe. Hence, this second part to round things up. Remember to repeat and re-educate your child time and again so that he remembers them.

#1: Your child should know his full name, address and important phone numbers like the house telephone but should never reveal the information to a stranger.

#2: Your child should get the parents consent first before he agrees to invite someone to the house or visit to a friend’s house.

#3: Teach your child never to let it be known that he is completely alone in the house. He should not simply open a door to a stranger and he has to inform an adult in the house to do it. If he does happen to be alone, then not to open the door at all and to phone his parents immediately.

#4: Teach your child on how to use the phone like the house phone, cell phone or pay phone to call for help. He should know where you keep the list of emergency contacts and numbers.

#5: Educate your child to not travel alone and to move or travel in groups or at least in pairs. He should avoid isolated places or areas like the back alleys.

#6: Teach your child about traffic and safety rules especially on how to cross the road safely. Tell him to use the pedestrian crossing and overhead bridge if there is one.

#7: Inform your child that no one, not even an adult has the right to touch or speak to him in an inappropriate or indecent way. As parents, get to know your child’s best friends and the group he is mixing with.

#8: Educate your child on the proper usage of the internet. He should never leak personal information like his full name, address, where he goes to school and phone number. He should be aware of the dangers of scammers and only use the internet to communicate with friends that the parents know off. He should not get to know or befriend a total stranger in the internet. Constant parental guidance is necessary in this area to prevent untoward behavior or incidence.

If you would like to share a safety tip, your comments are welcome.

photo credit: Just a Prairie Boy

photo credit: pfala

Parents nowadays still teach their children old money traditional values that their own parents taught them like ‘Save money today, so you will have some money for tomorrow’ or ‘Waste not, want not (don’t waste anything)’.

Today’s society

However, today’s society is known as a “throw-away” society where ‘Buy now and pay later’, are common-place. Instant gratification is also normal, why wait when you can get it now.

Our kids will certainly get confuse when we tell them one thing and they see otherwise. This is because children learn from what they see and hear. So in this situation, a parent has to make extra efforts to instill the correct money values in their children. As always, talking to your kids is an easy and direct way to start. Open and constant communication, one to one, is recommended for effectiveness.

Allowance

The introduction of an allowance can also be a good teaching method. This method allows the child to take responsibility on how to spend or use the money. The allowance can also be given for doing chores or responsibilities around the house. The amount given will differ in every family. Give only what you can afford to give.

Extra income

You can also let your child to earn extra income by doing extra work around the house, garden, farm or during special occasions. This is aside to the normal chores assigned in the beginning. This is called ‘extra income opportunity’ and it teaches your child the idea of working or doing something to earn money. It certainly gives them a better idea on why we need to go to work and earn an income to support the family.

Open communication

At the same time, don’t forget to talk to your children about spending their money wisely. Earning the money is one thing but how to spend the money is equally important. Cover topics like the commercial advertisements shown on TV, the problem with peer pressure, the reasons for saving, etc. Some children may come from wealthier background and can afford more expensive things whereas others may come from a frugal family and hence has less money to spend. Talk to your children about the idea of letting money grow or multiply for future use instead of spending all now. They can learn how to allocate the money for different purposes as well.

The parents play an important role and your children will learn from your parental guidance and example. If the parents show good money habits like saving, chances are the children will pick up the same habit. Therefore, eventually your children will grow up to have good money values picked up from their parents and from what they have learned.

Check out the Carnival of Everything Money for more great ideas.