Becoming a parent means accepting a life that revolves around your child. You strive to teach them everything you can, make them feel loved, and keep them safe. With the current environment, it’s no surprise parental fears are running high.
A recent survey found five common fears that parents have for their children:
- Accident: 30% fear someone or something will hurt their child
- Attacked: 25% worry someone could hurt or attack their child
- Unsafe: 23% fear their child won’t feel safe in the world
- Abducted: 14% fear child abduction
- Bullied: 8% worry someone will bully their child
Are Parent Fears Founded?
Unfortunately, many are. Child accidents frequently occur. And the possibility of a child being attacked is high on every parent’s mind given the frequency of school shootings. Homicide is responsible for more deaths among 10-24 year-olds than cancer, heart disease, flu and pneumonia, respiratory diseases, strokes and diabetes combined. Bullying is pervasive, as well, and has serious mental health consequences.
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How to Keep Kids Safe
Accidents are unpredictable. However, you can keep your children safe from violence, predators and cyberbullies by using people search technologies.
Keep Kids Safe From Strangers
Sadly, after large-scale violence happens, there is often a hindsight sentiment that there was “something off” about the perpetrator. Has your child described any teachers, staff, or other students as being odd? Search their names in Spokeo. You may find they have a troubling past that’s worth bringing up to others.
If another student at school makes your child uncomfortable, teach your child tactful ways to keep his or her distance, and look up the other child’s parents in Spokeo. Examine their social media profiles to see if they seem irresponsible, are weapons enthusiasts, or are perhaps not good influences for their own children.
How to Protect Children From Predators
Teach children not to talk to — or text with — with strangers. We want our children to be polite, but they must also learn when adult requests are inappropriate. Make them understand that they don’t always have to say “yes” to adults. Teach them how to say no tactfully and walk away from people who make them uncomfortable.
Online platforms provide an easy way for predators to anonymously interact with children. Predators often pose as children to gain your child’s (and your) trust. Teach your kids what online requests — like asking for photos and location—are inappropriate, and how to handle them.
If someone is contacting your child directly—whether on a gaming platform, in online comments sections, social media channels, texting, or online forums—you have a right to know who it is. And you can find out–including their true age and location–with a reverse username search. If the person has criminal records, you can find those too.
If someone has been texting your child, you can run a reverse phone lookup to find out who your child is talking to, and whether there are any red flags like inappropriate age or past arrests to be aware of.
How to Protect Children from Cyberbullies
Thanks to the internet, bullies can hide anonymously behind the safety of a screen to abuse others. However, you can learn who is behind the username(s) harassing your child online again with a username search. Find contact information to identify the harasser and open up a dialogue. If the perpetrator is underage, contact their parents to alert them to their child’s behavior.
If you suspect you know who may be bullying your child, you can run a name search in Spokeo to find out what websites they have accounts with, and what usernames they often use.