We were warned last week by the police that some weirdo has been cruising our community in a silver car, and has been offering children candy. He's also videotaping the kids. He'd better not show up anywhere near my home, I'll say that.
This "phone call" procedure STILL may not stop someone from grabbing the child and putting them in a car. The phone call system is only going to alert you AFTER the fact. My granson is 7 going on 8 and I would not let him walk even 2 doors down--alone. It's just the way it is.
As far as my kids are concerned, some people around here think I am too "strict" with them. Like say, I don't let them play outside when I hear thunder. Hello? I live in Florida, for goodness sakes. When you hear thunder, that is usually a good indication that lightning is somewhere around. Just last weekend, their "friend" from up the street came down to get them. He was riding his "scooter", no helmet, no pads, nothing and the skies were beginning to darken because of an approaching storm. I told him that the boys were with their Dad fishing but they would be home soon. Then I heard a big crack of thunder and I said, "Why don't you let me drive you back home? It's going to storm out." He said, "Nah. My mom said it's stupid to be afraid of lightning..." But I made him get in the car anyway, and drove him 3 houses up. As I let him out of the car, his mother came out and said, "What's going on? Did he fall?" I said, "No, but there's lightning around and I didn't feel comfortable letting him leave my house on a metal scooter, so I decided to just drive him here."
Well, she got very upset and told me that I was paranoid, yadayadayada....and I said, "Fine, Les. He's your son. However, while he's on my property, he is my responsiblity, and I don't take that lightly, and I certainly hope that you would not allow my children to walk home in the middle of a lightning storm." She said, "Well, duh, of course I wouldn't." So I said, "Well, I just wasn't sure, because you sure didn't have any qualms about letting your own son walk home in the middle of one."
I told my boys that from now on if they are down there and they hear thunder, they are to go inside and tell her that she is to call me and I will come pick them up. I just don't trust her judgement.
Ok, enough about that.....;-)