"Don't talk to strangers!" It's a common phrase parents use to educate their kids, but it doesn't always work in the right way. A popular story made headlines across America a few summers ago when an 11-year-old boy was lost in the Utah wilderness for four days. During that time, he stayed on the trail. He saw people searching for him but deliberately hid from them, afraid someone might "steal" him. He was eventually found, but his interpretation of his parents' rule about strangers kept him in danger longer than necessary. That little boy listened to his parents, which was good. However, he didn't really understand what they meant, which was bad.

Good things that are bad:

Kids want to be helpful. Strangers often ask children for help with something so they can be led away or snatched. Your child is very likely to cooperate because children seek validation.

Kids are trusting. Most children put all the people in the world into two groups: good guys and bad guys. Unfortunately, they can rarely tell who goes into which group because strangers who want to hurt them don't always look like "bad guys." Kids don't know that any stranger, no matter what they look like, could potentially hurt them.

Kids don't want to make a fuss. Many children have been taught how to behave in public: no screaming, no tantrums, and no fighting. When a stranger tries to abduct your child, your child might not want to make a fuss for fear of misbehaving and getting in trouble.

Kids want to follow your rules. You teach your children to beware of strangers, but you'd be surprised how few kids actually know who counts as a stranger. You don't want your child to avoid policemen or doctors because they consider them strangers so it's important they know the difference between good strangers and bad strangers.

You have a lot to worry about when it comes to protecting your child from strangers. Luckily there are some simple things you can to do keep them safe when you aren't around.

Tips for parents

1) Talk to your child about the dangers involved in dealing with strangers. 2) Listen to your child when they try to tell you something is wrong. 3) Teach your child the basics. Your child should know his phone number, address, and whom to ask for help. 4) Make rules about where and when your kids can play. 5) Get specific. Make sure your kid knows who counts as a stranger.

Nothing replaces your supervision of your child. It's your job to take care of your child, but you can't be with them all the time. When you aren't there your child must know what to do to stay safe from strangers. If you educate your children on dealing with strangers without scaring them, you can feel more confident about their safety.