This Christmas, your family will likely be in a crowd or two — at school functions, visiting Santa at the mall, Christmas Eve Mass. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, over 400,000 children go missing every year in the US. Crowds are a perfect opportunity for a perpetrator to take advantage of chaos and distraction. Before you head out into the holiday frenzy, talk to your children about some ground rules: Stay together and communicate about where you are headed if you change directions or plans. Consider the “two big steps” rule, which tells your child not to be more than two steps away from you at all times. That way, you can easily keep eyes on each other. For more tips, visit nationwidechildrens.org.