I don’t know a parent out there that has not experienced the panic of not knowing where their child is, even if only for a moment. It isn’t hard for a child to wander off in a supermarket, department store, playground, park, or even from their own backyard. As a parent, you take all of the precautions for the physical safety for your children such as car seats, seatbelts, bike helmets, and training wheels. Many parents talk with their child about never talking to, getting into the car with, or accepting anything from strangers.
November is National Child Safety and Protection Month and you should consider putting together a plan for what to do if your child is taken by an estranged relative, goes missing, or even is kidnapped. You have a plan for if a fire strikes your home, a designated case of emergency person should something happen to you and even a will for when you pass away. Knowing what to do if something should happen to your child is just as important.
- A current photo-id will enhance efforts to locate your child. The recent photograph that you took using your smart phone can become important should your child wander off.
- Fingerprint your children because a child’s appearance will change even in a short time. Fingerprints are the best way to identify a missing child.
- Know your child’s schedule during the day and especially secret places they like to hide or go to with friends
Where to Get a Fingerprinting Kit
Contact your local police department to ask if the department provides home fingerprinting kits. Some departments will fingerprint your child for you. If your local police department does neither, you can easily find fingerprint kits for sale online. http://www.yoursafechild.com/ or https://fingerprintamerica.com/products/ offers inexpensive child fingerprinting kits as well as materials for keeping dental and other records.
Thankfully most children are recovered quickly. Even with the best of efforts of parents, nearly 2100 children a day, or 2 children a minute are reported missing; having an action plan will help should your child go missing.