This content was created by Robert Siciliano. This content was uploaded by Robert Siciliano. This is a YouTube video titled "Children's Safety, Child Safety and Security www.ChildrenSecurity.com" (published 2007-02-19). It is a live interview/talk segment in English between a host/interviewer and Robert Siciliano, a personal security expert and author of The Safety Minute. The discussion covers recent child abduction headlines, common parental mistakes and excuses, the "Safety Minute" concept (daily security planning), advice for teaching children about strangers and personal boundaries (recommended starting around ages 4–5), and basic self‑defense and situational awareness tips.
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Alright, well, we do have some good news and hopefully some good advice for you. 10-year-old California girl was reunited with her family today. Nicole Timmons was allegedly abducted from her bedroom by her former babysitter, but not all families are that lucky. Now joining me live from Baton Rouge to teach us how to protect our kids, Robert Siciliano, personal security expert and the author of a book called The Safety Minute: How to Be Safe in the Streets, at Home, and Abroad. So you can save your life. Robert, thank you so much for being with us. I tell you, the headlines were just— it's the summer of abductions and it's breaking America's heart. What are the mistakes that parents are making? What are the excuses given when people say, "Well, it just can't happen to me"?
Well, that's the biggest mistake that people are making is that they're saying that, you know, this stuff just doesn't happen around here. This isn't going to happen to my kid. It's not going to happen to me. And the fact of the matter is, is this happens a lot more than you think it does. And if you're not taking precautions, if you're not taking time with your children to educate them on their personal security, if you think it can't happen to me, you're next in line, plain and simple.
You've written about the Safety Minute. What is the Safety Minute, and as a parent, how can I use the Safety Minute?
The Safety Minute is a book I wrote that teaches people how to avoid and remove themselves from dangerous situations. You know, if you take a minute every day to put together a security plan for yourself, for your family, you talk about safety, talk about security, what you can do to get out of a situation, know that this stuff does happen and that we have to be aware. Well, you can effectively get out of a dangerous situation. It's just a matter of putting systems in place to save your life or the life of a loved one.
Are you talking about just in the home, or are you talking about any place you may be that day?
Any place you may be that day— traveling, home, abroad. Right now I'm in Louisiana doing a program for the Louisiana Safety Council because There is a serial killer right now walking around, and he's, he's taken out 3 women over the past year, and there's been 36 women who have been murdered over the past decade, and they haven't been able to solve these murders. The fact of the matter is there are a number of people walking the streets right now that are considered to be mentally ill, and they prey upon others. They are predators. And if you're not aware that these types of people are on the streets and that you have to take responsibility to protect yourself and your family, then you're next in line. You know, you wear your seatbelt every day because you know that there's a possibility you can get in a car accident. So you should take some time to understand personal security as well. If you're a woman who's really good at applying makeup but you don't know how to defend yourself, well, you need to consider what your priorities are.
Let me ask you about kids now. How old can you start talking to kids, and how do you— where do you draw the line between informing them and scaring them? How do you hit that balance?
Kids are capable of understanding their personal security at a very young age. Between 4 and 5 is a really good time to start talking to them. As long as you're not too invasive, as long as you don't try to scare them, you be gentle with them, you explain to them. And you don't say, you know, "a stranger." You say, "a stranger who looks just like me or mommy or Uncle Jim or your neighbor." So they understand that everybody is a suspect and that you take time with them and you don't try to scare them. You really have to be gentle with them. But they are very capable of understanding at a very young age.
What could some of these kids that have been in the headlines tragically, what What are some of the moves they could have used to get away or keep themselves safe?
Well, it starts with the child. It starts with the parents teaching the child. The kid understanding basic self-defense techniques, knowing what a dangerous situation could be, understanding personal boundaries, good touches, bad touches, what's right, what's wrong, knowing that there is people out there that want to take them away from mommy and daddy. And they have to be aware of that, and they have to be conscious of predators out in the street. Taking some time with them, explaining different scenarios that they could get themselves into, or that adults would put them into, and spend time with them and test them. Just like you spend time with them studying for a spelling bee, spend the same amount of time with them teaching them about their personal security.
Yeah, it's kind of a sad commentary on our society, but still we have to keep our priorities straight. Robert Siciliano. Mr. Siciliano, we appreciate your minutes with us this morning. Thanks a lot.
