Teach your preschooler what she can do in case she gets lost.

Records show that a child goes missing every 40 seconds. That’s a scary thought, but the U.S Office of Juvenile Justice reports that on average, only 115 children are kidnapped by strangers every year. Regardless of statistics, losing your child is probably any parent’s worst nightmare.

Getting lost in the mall, the supermarket or giant amusement park are typical scary incidents — both for the young child and the parent. A little “disaster preparedness” can go a long way in preventing the incident from turning scarier than it ought to be. All you have to do is give your child an In Case You Get Lost Plan.

As soon as your preschooler can talk and take simple directions, you can have a talk about what to do in case they get lost. Don’t wait until they are middle schoolers, which is the usual time such safety talks are given. True, most preschoolers don’t play outside or walk around alone, but they should know what to do in the event they are separated from you in public. This can happen. Here’s what to tell them to do, just in case:

Stay put. As soon as they realize they are lost, tell them not to venture further to look for you. Assure them that you will be the one to get back to them. Explain that it will be harder for you to look for them if they go too far.

Don’t call out mommy or daddy. Yup, you read right. Instead of screaming mommy and daddy, tell your child to scream out your real name. Shouting mommy will be harder to distinguish than shouting Susan Smith!

Talk to strangers. Yup, you read right again. Samantha Wilson, former police officer and founder of kidproofusa.com says, “don’t talk to strangers is actually the biggest mistake parents make. Instead, we have to teach kids never to go anywhere with anyone — without asking their parents’ permission first.”

Look for another mommy and ask her for help. If they have called out your name and they still don’t get your attention, tell them to approach another mommy with kids. Older children can be taught to ask a police officer or store clerk for help, but preschoolers may have difficulty distinguishing uniformed personnel. They will have an easier time recognizing another mommy if you tell them to look for a woman with kids in tow. Wilson explains, “statistically, a mother with children is the safest bet for your kid, and women will generally commit more time to helping your child, because men are afraid that if they help they’ll be targeted as a predator.”

One final piece of advice is to give these instructions without scaring your child. Talk to your child calmly, no need to be alarmist. You can even role play and make a game out of it. Have fun with it! Stay safe!

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