How to teach a child to interact with police
With all the police brutality in the news, your child might be getting the wrong idea about police. Therefore, when meeting a uniformed officer, your child might be reacting the wrong way. Even if they don’t show it, your child can feel fearful and anxious around a police officer.
I know that as a child, I was very nervous around police. There was no personal reason, but my mom loved watching the news in the evenings and I must have picked up some of the bad interactions police have.
As a parent, you should be teaching your child about how to interact with police early. Your child should be listening to the orders of police, but also knowing what the police can or can’t do because they are humans and may overstep their bounds.
They should know that the police are hired to protect and serve the people of the community, and that especially means them. When there is an emergency, they should call 9-1-1 or find a police officer. If they are lost or hurt, a police officer will help.
When a child is young, they may not understand Miranda rights or the fifth amendment but you can explain that they do not have to speak to the police if they do not want to.