How Parents Can Keep Children Safe While Shopping and Traveling This Holiday Season

News provided by

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Dec 12, 2011, 10:13 ET

"The Mentalist" Actor Tim Kang Tells Parents What To Do and What Not To Do

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Parents need to be careful not to let their guard down or become distracted while traveling or attending public functions during the 2011 holiday season. Tim Kang, actor from the hit CBS show The Mentalist has partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help educate parents about what they should be telling their children to keep them safe while shopping and traveling this holiday season.

Parents need to talk with children about safety before heading out to a busy shopping mall or boarding a plane, train, or bus this holiday season. Crowds are greater this time of year and children may easily become separated from their parents, causing confusion and fear. If that should happen, parents need a plan and children should know what to do.

"Unfortunately many adults and children don't know what to do if they lose each other in a public place or are faced with other unsafe situations," said actor Tim Kang. "That's why the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is offering advice on how to remain safe and avoid panic and potential dangers."

ALWAYS:

Keep children with you at all times while shopping.
Accompany and supervise children in public facilities, including restrooms.
Have a plan in case you become separated, including a pre-designated spot to meet.
Teach children to look for people who can help, such as a uniformed security officer, salesperson or mother with children.
Remind children to remain in the area where they become separated.

NEVER:

Dress children in clothing that displays their first or last names, prompting unwelcome attention from people looking for an opportunity to start a conversation with your child.
Leave children in toy stores or public facilities expecting supervision from store personnel.
Go shopping or attend a public event with a child if you feel you're going to be distracted. Make other arrangements for child care ahead of time.
Allow younger children to shop on their own to purchase surprise gifts for friends or family members.
Drop off older children at a mall or public place without agreeing on a clear plan for picking them up, including: where, what time, and what to do in case of a change in plans.

If your child is flying or riding a train or bus alone this holiday season, NCMEC urges parents to remember the following travel safety tips:

When you make reservations for your child, specify that the child will be traveling alone.
Whenever possible, book a non-stop flight or direct route. Avoid booking the last flight of the day.
Plan to visit the airport, train or bus terminal prior to departure. Let your child know what to expect, so the experience will not be so intimidating.
In case of delay or cancellation, remain at the station or gate until the train, plane or bus departs.
Make sure children travel with proper identification and parents or guardian contact information.
Always have a back-up plan for the person or people meeting the plane at the destination, in case they are delayed.
Encourage children not to become too friendly with other passengers or to reveal any personal information.

Additional safety tips can be found at www.missingkids.com.

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1984. Designated by Congress to serve as the nation's clearinghouse, the organization has operated the toll-free 24-hour national missing children's hotline which has handled more than 3,472,740 calls. It has assisted law enforcement in the recovery of more than 169,840 children. The organization's CyberTipline has handled more than 1,271,070 reports of child sexual exploitation and its Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed and analyzed more than 59,993,440 child pornography images and videos. The organization works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. To learn more about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.

About Tim Kang
Tim Kang is well known for his work in film and television. Notably, as one of the stars of CBS television drama The Mentalist, widely distributed by Warner Brothers internationally. Born and raised in San Francisco, Tim graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a B.A. in Political Science before attending the prestigious A.R.T. Institute at Harvard University, where he received his Master of Fine Arts degree. He also studied acting at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. His extensive education along with his love of the arts has molded him into one of the industry's most intelligent and adaptable talents. With a passion for cars and motorcycles, he can be found racing on the track in his spare time. In addition to his enthusiasm for motor sports, Tim is an avid technical scuba diver and he has been skydiving since 1996. In 2011, Tim launched One Shoot Films with the focus of getting back to the basics of good storytelling, and to produce relevant, engaging and entertaining films that accurately reflect the world we live in today.

SOURCE National Center for Missing & Exploited Children