Have your children check in with you at work or with a neighbor when they get home. Agree on rules for having friends over and going to someone else's house when no adult is present. Work out an escape plan in case of fire. Tell your children never to open the door to a stranger when they are alone in the house or apartment. Caution them about answering the phone and accidentally letting a stranger know they are alone.
Kids can always say their parents are busy and take a message.
Make sure they know how to work the door and window locks and that they use them when they are inside alone. Explain to your children that a stranger is someone they don't know well. A stranger can be a man or woman, well-dressed or shabby, kind or threatening, pretty or ugly. If a stranger tries to follow them or grab them, they should run away, scream, and make lots of noise. It's an unpleasant fact that at least 100,000 children are reported as victims of sexual abuse each year, and experts say the actual number is much higher.