With a new school year comes new challenges for kids and new safety concerns for parents.

Beth Kaplan is the mother of two boys, ten and 13. She says, "I still think it's my job to just keep bringing it up no matter how many times my youngest said I know all that." Kaplan says safety is a priority in her household. "We do try to keep the lines of communication open."

And talking to your kids about safety scenarios and their concerns about going back to school is what experts like Luis Yudice with the Madison School District recommend. Yudice says, "Maintaining those lines of communication so you'll be able to discuss what if scenarios. What if this happens? What if you're approached by someone on the street? What if I can't be come to pick you up on time, you know, what would you do in those situations?" Yudice goes on to say it's important for all kids to know their address and phone number, know how to get help if they need it, and know who they are and are not allowed to leave school with. Plus, while talking to your kids, Yudice says you should avoid the term stranger. "Using the term stranger creates an image of a frightening character and many times, sexual predators are not frightening looking at all, they look like your next door neighbor."

Yudice says it's good to use the sex offender registry to know who is living in your neighborhood, but that parents shouldn't focus only on specific individuals. "I think it would be a mistake for parents to focus too much on those sex offenders because there's a whole world of people out there that we simply don't know about who may pose as much a danger or even a greater danger to the children," says Yudice.

But your child's safety is also at risk inside your home. Social networking websites like My Space and Facebook are a popular place for predators to target kids, but parents like Kaplan are taking notice and minimizing that risk. Kaplan says, "We put the computer that the kids use right in the middle of things, it's right off the kitchen, right there by the dinette where we always are so that we have a sense of how much time they're spending on the computer." And Kaplan says if her kids are doing something questionable, she asks questions. "We just try to keep a dialogue going on and try to keep on top of what's new and what's going on. I think that's the hardest part for parents," says Kaplan.

It's a difficult job that involves communicating, listening and teaching, the full time job that is parenting.

The biggest safety issue kids face is getting to and from school. It is important to teach your kids how to be a safe pedestrian and is also important for drivers to slow down in school zones and remember the speed limit is 20 miles an hour when children are present.