[EggsAckley]

Good list. Let's hope every Freeper with children prints it and follows it.




BUMP!!!

[AppyPappy]

I could have sworn I saw this yesterday in one of the threads. I must be getting old

[Triple Word Score]

Thank you. BTTT

I was recently flamed because I thought teenagers who were approached by a stranger asking personal questions at a mall were right to ignore him--many a FReeper thought that such behavior is rudeness on par with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. No. Strangers who approach children and teenagers must ALWAYS be suspected!

I agree with you:

Its is also very important that children know that good gown-ups don't ask for help or approach them. Only the bad come near them, and if there is a mistake, a good adult will understand.

4) Never talk to strangers. She stopped and allowed contact.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

My kids and I were just discussing this yesterday - we've raised them to be polite and respectful, but I want them to realize that there are certain situations where you can't be worried about manners or hurting someone -

Threads like this are a good reminder.... thanks

[elli1]

I'd add something that my dad told me when I was young (and living in a small town): Run for a house, any house and run into the house. (Almost unheard of at that time for a house to be locked.) In this day & age with so many houses unoccupied most of the day, I'd tell kids to run for a house that has cars in the driveway, try to get inside or scream & beat on the front door for help.

[Agnes Heep]

I've got an even better one--let them read Ann Rule's excellent account of Ted Bundy.

It's not the kind of thing I'd have ever thought of giving my young daughters to read, except that I inadvertently left my paperback copy lying in the living room. A couple of days later my ten-year-old approached me and asked, "Daddy, what's a 'blood-gun?'" I asked her where she picked up a term like that, and she told me, "In the Ted Bundy book." Obviously, the word she had misinterpreted was "bludgeon"--Ted's favorite method of getting control of his victims.

At first I was mortified that she should have been reading such a horrible book, but upon reflection I thought that perhaps it was better that she should have a good, first-hand account of the evil to which human nature is susceptible. In a perfect world, this wouldn't be so. But our world is far from perfect.

[RoseyT]

This goes along the lines of not talking to strangers, but we have told our kids that adults/strangers should NOT ask for help from children. An adult/stranger shouldn't be asking for directions, for help finding their lost puppy, or for help unloading something from their vehicle. (This doesn't include our elderly neighbors. It's sometimes a difficult balancing act to include good manners with safety issues like this, but we do our best.)

For those of you with little ones, ask them what a "stranger" or "bad guy" looks like. You might be surprised by the answer. We heard things like "they look mean," "they wear black," etc. We explained that a "bad guy" will NOT want them to know he's bad, so he will act like he's very nice.

I hate that we are having to teach our kids these things, but I believe it's a necessity. My brother-in-law and I are in disagreement about it being necessary. He's a police officer in San Diego and he told me that stats show the number of abductions is actually down. I looked him right in the eye and said, "To the parents of an abducted child, those numbers mean NOTHING and your brother and I will do everything possible to help keep our kids safe." The funny thing is that our conversation took place in Venice, FL, which is very near Sarasota, when we were there this past Thanksgiving.

[cyborg]

I'm seriously questioning having children.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

A really good book to read is Protecting The Gift.

HERE

This book is written by a FBI profiler and helps parents discern when to really worry about your kids, and what to do about.

I have two young boys and found some good, practicle advice in this book.

[Humidston]

This is the saddest thread!

Back in the "olden" days, threats to children were few and kids were allowed to smile at grandmothers like me who passed them in the grocery store or on the sidewalk.

Now I can tell their minds are racing - "Is she going to steal me?"

So sad that parents have to drill their children to be suspicious all the time. And double sad that so many evil people are free to stalk our young. I'd just as soon every pervert arrested be KEPT IN JAIL for the rest of their filthy lives so that our children are safe once again.

[EdReform]

Excellent post - thanks!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I tell my children to not talk to st angers if I am not around.

The problem with never talk to strangers is that if a child needs help, or is lost they are afraid to ask anyone for help. I have had this happen to me twice, where I found a lost child, one in a parking lot, one in a store.

They were both young and scared to death, but ran away from me because they looked at me as a stranger.

It is a better approach, IMO, to teach children to look for someone they can trust to help them, know when to avoid strangers and what to say if one does approach them.

the book I recommend above gives the example of "look for a Mommy", because chances are that a woman with children is going to help a lost child. Of course not in every single case is that true. But I think it is better than Never, ever talk to strangers.

Just my .02. It is a scary world out there, sometimes, for those of us with young children. We all do the best we can to protect them.

[LisaMalia]

Thanks for posting this info. I would like to add one, I either saw this on tv yesterday or read it here.

There was a couple (man and his wife, I think) who abducted young women by pulling over to the side of a street with a road map spread out in full view, asking for directions. This obviously sends a message that they are lost, and in need of assistance. That is how they would lure their victims.

My children are grown, but this is one I've passed on to them. If someone needs directions, they can go to a business or other public place. Unfortunately, our kids just can't afford to be good samaritans anymore.

[proud American in Canada]

"Let's hope every Freeper with children prints it and follows it."


I just did... I also told my kids that if anyone ever tries to take them somewhere, to scream as loudly as they can, "YOU ARE NOT MY DADDY!!!", and to scream it over and over again to get other people's attention.

[Killborn]

Excellent list. If only more parents and kids knew.