Teaching situational awareness is as important for our children as it is for us. It’s crucial to equip our children with the tools they need to be aware of their surroundings in various environments. Teaching situational awareness is an important step in empowering them to stay safe in a dangerous world The earlier you start teaching them this, the better equipped they will be as they get older and are in more risky situations. Here are some tips to help them begin to think through the surrounding:

Understanding Your Surroundings

• Know Your Route: Walk through your child’s route to and from school, highlighting landmarks and safe gathering points.
• Be Aware of Your Environment: Encourage your child to observe their surroundings, including people, vehicles, and unusual activities. Practice identifying safe and unsafe areas.
• Watch for Vehicles: Teach them to be cautious of vehicles, particularly those that seem to be following or idling nearby with someone inside.
• Identify Safe Places: Help your child recognize places they can go if they feel unsafe, such as a trusted neighbor’s house or a local business.

Situational Awareness on the Way to School

• Walking to the Bus Stop: Choose a familiar, well-lit, and populated route.
• Stay with Someone: Whenever possible, have your child walk with a friend or group.
• Parent Supervision: If possible, rotate having a parent stay at the bus stop until the bus arrives and being there when students get off of the bus.
• At the Bus Stop: Encourage your child to stay in a well-lit area and remain mindful of their surroundings while waiting.
• Safety in Numbers: Encourage children to wait at a bus stop with other students and to move to a different corner if they are alone, especially in the dark.

Tips for Walking to School

• Walk with Friends: Whenever possible, walk with friends or in a group,
• Stick to Well-Lit, Populated Routes: Always choose routes that are well-lit and frequented by other students and adults.
• Stay Off Electronic Devices: Encourage your child to avoid using electronic devices while walking, so they can stay aware of their surroundings.

Situational Awareness on the Way Home from School

• Walking Home Alone: Remind your child to be alert to their surroundings, including people and vehicles. If they notice anything unusual, they should go to a trusted neighbor’s house.
• Notice Changes: Teach your child to observe any changes around the home, such as open doors or windows, and to seek help if something seems off.
• Check-In When They Get Home: Have them check in with an adult when they are secure if there is no one is home.

Situational Awareness at School

• Avoiding Conflicts: Teach your child to steer clear of fights or conflicts. If they see a fight or trouble brewing, they should avoid the area and inform a teacher or school official.
• Steering Clear of Problematic Groups: Encourage your child to avoid groups of students who are known to cause trouble. It’s best to find a different route if they see such groups blocking their usual path.
• Safe Spots in School: Help your child identify safe areas in the school where they can go if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe, such as the guidance counselor’s office or a teacher’s classroom.

Developing Situational Awareness Skills

• Trust Your Instincts: Emphasize the importance of listening to their gut feelings. If something feels wrong, they should remove themselves from the situation and seek help.
• Have a Safety Plan: Identify safe locations, safe neighbors including people who are normally home during before and after school hours, know emergency contacts, and practice what to do in case of an emergency.

By focusing on these aspects of situational awareness, you can help your child develop the skills they need to navigate their environment confidently and safely. Open communication and practicing these habits regularly will foster a strong sense of awareness and preparedness.

Make it Fun!

Here are some easy and fun ways to help your child begin to create situational awareness on their own:

Observation Walks:

Take your child on walks and have them describe what they see, including people, cars, and any unusual activity. This helps develop their observational skills. Quiz them on ‘what color was that car parked at the end of the street’.

Identify Safe Places:

Ask your child to point out and discuss safe places along their route to school or around your neighborhood, such as a trusted neighbor’s house, police station, or well-lit public areas.

Role-Playing Scenarios:

Set up role-playing scenarios to practice various situations, such as encountering a stranger, seeing a fight, or noticing an unusual vehicle. Discuss the best actions to take in each situation.

“What If” Games:

Play “What If” games where you ask your child hypothetical questions related to safety. For example, “What if someone you don’t know offers you a ride?” or “What if an adult you know tells you that they are supposed to bring you home but we have not told you that?” or “What if you see a group of kids fighting, what would you do?”

Family Code Words:

Create family code words for emergencies or uncomfortable situations. Teach your child to use these words to alert trusted adults without attracting too much attention.

Awareness Rewards:

If age-appropriate, give your child a small badge or sticker each time they demonstrate good situational awareness. Make it a fun and rewarding experience to encourage the habit.

Daily Debrief:

Have a daily chat where your child shares anything unusual or interesting they noticed during the day. This reinforces their habit of paying attention to their surroundings and works with all ages.

Observation Challenge:

Make a game by giving your child a list of items or people to observe on your next walk or outing, such as a red car, a person with a hat, or a stop sign. This makes situational awareness fun and engaging.

Safety Routes:

Together, trace different routes to commonly visited places like school, parks, or friends’ houses. Discuss which routes are the safest and why, considering aspects like lighting, foot traffic, and familiar landmarks.

Mindfulness and Focus Exercises:

Teach your child mindfulness and focus techniques to help them stay present and aware. Simple exercises like breathing exercises or focusing on 5 different sounds can enhance their awareness skills. Kids these days are very distracted and have short attention spans. Situational awareness requires them to pay attention and be present at all times.

By using these methods, you can help your child develop a sharp sense of situational awareness in a fun and engaging way.

Let’s work together to create a safer community for our children.