The importance of talking to your children about stranger danger

SALT LAKE CITY — When talking to your children about stranger danger, one Utah psychologist says it’s important to let the children know there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.

“It’s important for them to know,” said Dr. Tom Golightly, assistant director-athletics for BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. “Help is an important signal and that is not shameful to reach out and call for help.”

Tom Golighty, also says it’s important to have discussions on safety with children.

“Just be factual and let them know here’s how we go about it,” he said. “A lot like a fire drill like this is what we do in this situation.

This comes on the heels a couple of incidents in Sandy where a man attempted to lure children to his car in Sandy. The mother of the children involved in the incident says she’s grateful she discussed stranger danger with her children. The mother also says her daughter told her a man allegedly tried to give her money from his car, but she ran away instead.

Additionally, Golightly says its critical for parents to also be proactive when they are around people they know. He says parents shouldn’t assume what is going on behind a closed door. 

Golightly also recommends that children understand stranger danger when they are online. That includes not talking to strangers just because they messaged them.

Mark Jones contributed to this article.

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