Thanks to the internet it’s easy to look up the neighborhood sex offenders. Knowing who they are, what they look like and the block they live on can be a good thing. Having this information, however, does little or nothing to protect your kids and goes a long way towards making you a paranoid freak. Most of the time, these guys keep their distance from children because they do not want to get caught again.
You can show your children pictures of the sex offenders who live in your immediate neighborhood and point out their houses so they know who they are and where they live. The rule should be they should never talk to them, go to their home or take anything from them.
Beginner
There is a person in our neighborhood who is not safe to be around kids. They made a mistake and hurt a child. He lives (tell them where) and you and all the kids in our neighborhood are not allowed to go to his house. The rule is you are not allowed to talk to him, go anywhere with him or take anything from him. They are not a safe adult.
Even if this person tells you I said it’s okay, you still need to check with me or the adult in charge first. No matter what.
Intermediate
There is a person in our neighborhood is not safe for kids to be around. He was arrested for sexually abusing a child and it is not okay or safe for you to interact with him at all, ever. If you see him, please don’t talk to him, even if he talks to you. If he asks you to go somewhere with him or offers you a gift of any kind, tell him you need to check with me first and then come home.
If you ever see this person around your school, in the park or talking with children, please tell me or another adult. If one of your friends wants to go somewhere with this person you need to tell them not to go and immediately tell another adult.
I’m telling you this because I want you to be safe and to help you learn how to deal with people who might not be safe for you to be around.
Advanced
The person who lives (tell them where) is a convicted child molester. This means he sexually abused a child and is not safe for kids to be around. You need to know this because it is not okay for you to talk to him, take anything from him or go anywhere with him. No matter how nice he seems, he’s not safe for kids.
I am telling you this because you are old enough to know and to help keep other kids (siblings, neighbors) safe if he is around. He probably won’t do anything, but just to be safe, I thought you should know.
If he ever does or says something that makes you feel uncomfortable, please don’t hesitate to let me know. And if one of your friends is talking to him or wants to go to his house, it’s not okay and you need to tell them not to go. If they won’t listen, you must tell an adult.
You don’t need to worry too much about this person because they were caught and now have to follow a bunch of special rules. They don’t want to get in trouble again, so they will probably never talk to you. I’m telling you this just in case they decide to break the rules they are supposed to follow. And so you can be smart about your safety.
Need more help? Check out my Birds and Bees and Kids Solution Center! Or check me out on Facebook!
