Hawthorne School District provides safety tips for parents

Hawthorne School District Superintendent Donald Carrington sent out a notice offering safety tips for parents following the abduction and sexual assault of a 13-year-old student walking to school on Tuesday. The tips come from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

Here's the tips:

1. Make sure that you know where your child is at all times.
2. Never leave children unattended in an automobile, whether it is running or not.
3. Be involved in your children's activities.
4. Listen to your children. Pay attention if they tell you they do not want to go somewhere or with someone.
5. Notice when someone shows a great deal of attention to  your child or gives them gifts.
6. Teach your children that they have the right to say NO to any unwelcome, uncomfortable, or confusing touch or actions by others.
7. Be sensitive to any changes in your child's behavior or attitude.
8. Be sure you screen babysitters or caregivers.
9. Practice basic safety skills with your children to be sure that they know the rules and understand them.
10. Choose opportunuites to reinforce safety skills. Speak openly about safety issues with your child. Children need to know that they can tell you or a trusted adult if they feel scared.
11. Teach your children that it is more important to get out of a threatening situation, than be polite.
12. Children should not go out alone and should always take a friend with them.
13. Make sure your child knows their full name, address, and telephone number. Also they know your full name, place of employment, and telephone numbers where you can be reached.
14. Remember there is no substitute for your attention and supervision.