You may let them do more without you than they did as elementary students. And as your child gains new freedoms, it’s important that she also gain a stronger awareness about her safety.

Your child will be safest if she:

• Sticks with a friend or a group when she’s not with a trusted adult. If someone wants to harm a child, he is most likely to seek out a child who is alone.

• Listens to her own feelings. If your child feels unsafe, tell her she can call you for a ride home. If she is in a public place, tell her to find a police officer or security guard.

• Is home, or is supervised, after dark. Far more crimes happen in nighttime hours. Once evening comes, your child should be with you or in the care of an adult you trust.

• Has friends who are about her age. A middle schooler who spends a lot of time with high school students may find herself in situations she is not mature enough to handle.

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