As a parent of children in the Farmingdale School District, I received a Megan's Law notification letter in the mail last month. Upon receipt, I followed the instructions in the letter and logged on to www.parentsformeganslaw.com. I then linked to the New York State website to learn more about the particular individual. I wanted to see who the person was, what he/she looks like and where they are living. I then discussed with my wife how we should speak to our children to alert them about any potential dangers without scaring them too badly. In my quest for the right way to do this, I went to the Internet and found a very helpful and useful site called www.missingkids.com. It's the website for The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). I came across a wonderful publication called Know the Rules... General Tips for Parents and Guardians to Help Keep Their Children Safer. It's easy for all of us, living in our nice neighborhoods, to forget that we always have to be aware of our surroundings and any suspicious characters at all times. For every notification we get, we have to realize that there are still others out there who prey on children. I certainly don't want to alarm or scare anybody, but it is imperative that every parent and grandparent follow the tips outlined in the article. Our children are our most precious resource. We need to teach them how to be assertive, smart, strong and safe. We as parents have to be involved in their lives (yes our teenagers too!). We need to know where they are at all times, ask questions and be cognizant of any changes in their attitude and behaviors. There is no substitute for our attention and supervision. Please take the time to read the article and discuss safety measures with your children. It's worth the time. If you would like more information you can call the NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678. You can also receive a safety tip brochure from the Town of Oyster Bay by calling the Public Information Office at 624-6380.