We feed our kids healthy foods (or try!!!), dress them appropriately for our unpredictable spring weather, and tell them NOT to talk to strangers. We're doing what we need to do, right? Maybe not!

Keeping our kids safe seems to be a topic that is visited often in the media, and rightly so. What's more important than the safety of our kids? Unfortunately some of the "old" messages aren't so practical. What if the "dangerous" person isn't a stranger? What if you become separated and your child needs to find a stranger to help him? Will he know what kind of stranger is a "good" stranger?

For example, you can teach your child to spot a "safe" stranger. Police officers with badges, salesclerks with nametags, and mothers with children are generally safe to ask for help.

Information on the video the children are viewing in school, The Safe Side, can be found at www.thesafeside.com.

Montessori Matters, April 2006