Teach Children Not To Receive Food From Strangers

We have all heard the same warning from our parents: “Do not accept food from strangers”.

Sometimes strangers can offer children food without parental permission. What can be done to prevent this from happening?

The situation can be difficult for children to understand and even handle. From their perspective, it is about being able to distinguish between different adults and a possible risk.

Today there is an endless list of different drugs that are completely impossible to detect.

Most often, however, people offer food simply as a “friendly gesture”. Even so, it’s not okay. Children can be allergic or intolerant to food, which a stranger may not know.

Teach children to be selective

Perhaps the lesson of not trusting all people can make our children more modest or fearful, but teaching them to pay attention and judge situations correctly will help them protect themselves.

The first thing you need to tell your children is that they can only go to adults that their parents know.

As they get a little older, they also have to learn that it can be dangerous to receive candy or other things from strangers. They should learn to ask their parents or other trusted adults for permission before accepting any kind of gift.

Knowing how to distinguish family members and other adults you can trust is very helpful. If they are alone and someone approaches them, they need to know how to proceed.

3 points to teach your children about strangers who provide food:

• Signs of Danger: When strangers offer your children food or gifts, they should learn to see it as something bad. You must be clear and explain the possible dangers of the situation.
• Under adult supervision: Even if your child receives something, he or she should make it a habit to give it to a trusted adult first. Parents or teachers can then either approve or refuse the child to eat it.

• Secret gifts are never good: In fact, all responsible adults will always ask parents for permission before giving their children something to eat. If this is not the case then maybe your kids need to learn to be suspicious.

Teach your child the risks of receiving food from strangers

All parents want to protect their children and keep them safe. However, there are potential dangers everywhere, and one must be prepared. It is important to teach children that bad things can happen.

At a certain age, it is good for children to learn about drugs and how easy it is to put it in food. Abuse, abuse and kidnappings are things you need to talk to your children about, sooner or later.

All children need to know that they must tell their parents or teachers at once if such a situation arises. If they are alone, they should look for a police officer or someone in uniform.

Possible risks

Below are the most dangerous risks for children:

• Kidnapping: Children must learn that strangers who give sweets and gifts can do so to lure them and then kidnap them.
• Child abuse: Perpetrators can also use sweets to lure children into abuse or harassment. The candy may contain some form of medicine, or simply be a way to gain the victim’s trust.
• The road to drug abuse: There are gang members who send out sweets that contain drugs to create abuse among children.

Drugs camouflaged in sweets

Strangers who give children sweets without parental permission are very dangerous today. More dangerous than ever. In countries such as Spain, Nicaragua, Mexico and Colombia, a number of cases have been reported of drugs being given to minors.

There are also criminal organizations that can use sweets in drug trafficking, both to transport the drugs in a way that is not noticed by the authorities and to increase dependence among young people in order to get new “customers”.

It is not enough to investigate where the candy comes from, or if the packaging has been opened. Drugs in the form of sweets are more and more elaborate and look exactly like official packaging.

In some cases, criminals copy the packaging from well-known brands.

Use technology to your advantage

Parents can use technology, the internet and other resources to warn their children of possible dangers. There are many documentaries, songs and programs that address the issue.

Do not hesitate to go through it with your children in this way. It must be a priority in your family.

Make sure your children understand that they may never accept food or other gifts from strangers without your permission.