A second young child in less than a week has reportedly been sexually assaulted in Kitchener.
Parents in the region are wondering how to keep their kids safe following the recent incidents.
Olivia Koziarska, a mother of three kids aged three- to five-years old, says she is trying to teach her kids that not all strangers are dangerous.
But she adds that, once they get a bit older, that lesson will likely change.
"Once I allow them a little more freedom where they're out of my sight range then absolutely it's going to be 'don't talk to anyone' I think is going to be the message," she says.
Some experts are suggesting that parents need to start these conversations before kids can even form full sentences.
TK Pritchard, of the Sexual Assault Support Centre, advises that young children need to understand how to talk about and have power over their bodies.
"If they don't have the words then an adult might not understand or a young person might not know what they're supposed to be saying," says Pritchard.
Here are some ways you can talk to your kids about strangers about the possibility of unwanted sexual touching:
- It can start at bath time with your little ones by letting them wash themselves
- When they're ready, have age-appropriate conversations
- Teach your kids the differences in touching, including where is appropriate
- When they're old enough, have them learn body-part terminology
- Don't be afraid to let them know that talking to another parent, a grandparent or a trusted friend is okay, too
