Kids and Elevators

“If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the Up button.” (Sam Levenson)

What is it about kids and elevators? Kids love to ride elevators, and they really like to push the elevator buttons. Any of you who have more than one small child have witnessed the mad dash of your children to be the first to reach the elevator so that he or she can push the button to summon it to your floor. Pushing the buttons inside seems to be even more fascinating. At least that has always been my experience with my children when they were small. And it seems my granddaughters are the same way. They love to be the one to get to push the elevator button.

Children should really never ride in elevators alone. But have you ever considered what your child would do in the event he or she was in a circumstance which necessitated riding the elevator without you and a stranger  who made the your child feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened in any way was on the elevator with your child? Do you know what precautions your child should take? Does your child know what precautions he or she should take to be safer from such risk on an elevator? Does your child know what to do if he or she is on an elevator with someone who begins to make him or her feel threatened or afraid?

There are strategies that children should learn to take precautions on an elevator. There are strategies that children can employ to escape from an elevator when someone who makes them feel frightened or threatened gets on with them. Such strategies are explained in detail in my book, What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers. To empower your children to take precautions from any type of risky scenario involving potential abduction or predator harm, acquiring the book for them could be the most important purchase you could make on behalf of your children. Detailed information about the book, endorsements of the book, and useful information for both children and parents can be accessed at the book website – www.AuthorMelissaHarkerRidenour.com.