8 Things Your Child Should Know

1. Name & Spelling—By the time your child is a toddler, they should know their full name and the name of his/her parents. This should be one of the first things they learn to spell. If they get lost somehow, it makes it difficult to locate their parents if they don’t know what name to give them.
2. Address—This is another important bit of information for them to learn early. Start with your city and state. Then get more specific.
3. Phone Number—Also important information they need to memorize early.
4. His/Her Birthday—This helps in identifying a child who is missing or lost.
5. Where Mom/Dad Works—This can be useful information in locating the parents.
6. Alternate Phone Number (caretaker, neighbor, grandma)—someone else who can be contacted in case the child’s parents cannot be reached for some reason.
7. How/When to Dial 911—It’s important not only to know how to dial 911, but when it is okay to do so. Don’t make them scared of the number so that they will not dial it when actually needed, but make sure they know it is not a game or toy as well.
8. How to Respond to a Housefire—Teach them what your plan is if there is a fire in the house. Teach them how to test doorknobs, how to avoid smoke, how to get out of the house from several locations, and where to meet the family once outside the house.