I heard a mother teaching her child about “Stranger Danger” the other day.
It didn’t seem like such a concern when I was growing up. These days,
though, it is just good parenting. I was reminded of when my youngest
daughter started school and we taught her about it. We had already had
this talk with her older siblings so it seemed like it would be an easy
conversation. We sat down with her before she started school and told her
to stay away from strangers and not to go with people besides Mom, Dad or her
older brother. Everything was going just fine. Then we tested her at
the end. “What do you do if someone comes to pick you up from school and
they say Mom or Dad sent them?” “I don’t go”, she replied. “What if
they say one of us was injured and they have been sent to get you and bring you
to us?” “I don’t go”, she repeated. “What if they say they are with
the police and it is important that they bring you to us?” “I get the
teacher and don’t go” she said. Then it happened. I asked, “What if
the stranger has candy?” “What kind of candy?” my daughter asked. I
was at a loss for words. When I composed myself, I asked, “What do you
mean when you say ‘What type of candy’?” “Well”, she said, “I’m not going
with someone just because they have a sucker. I can get one of those at
the bank any time. Now if they have a candy bar, I might go.” I was
furious. “Wrong! That is the wrong answer. You do not go with
them ever!” “But what if they have Skittles, Dad? Those are really
good and we don’t buy them very much.” I could not believe she was arguing
with me over this. “I don’t care what they have. You absolutely
never go with a stranger. At the time I was livid but in hindsight I can
look back and laugh. Though she was young, I can’t help but wonder if she
was just pulling my leg just to get a rise out of me. If that was the
case, it worked great! I was worked up for days. Still, you have to
be careful these days. You hear more and more about children being
abducted. They are so precious that you have to be on guard all the
time. Even my 17 year old daughter worries me when she goes out. I
tell her that I trust her. I just don’t trust all the other people.
It didn’t seem like such a concern when I was growing up. These days,
though, it is just good parenting. I was reminded of when my youngest
daughter started school and we taught her about it. We had already had
this talk with her older siblings so it seemed like it would be an easy
conversation. We sat down with her before she started school and told her
to stay away from strangers and not to go with people besides Mom, Dad or her
older brother. Everything was going just fine. Then we tested her at
the end. “What do you do if someone comes to pick you up from school and
they say Mom or Dad sent them?” “I don’t go”, she replied. “What if
they say one of us was injured and they have been sent to get you and bring you
to us?” “I don’t go”, she repeated. “What if they say they are with
the police and it is important that they bring you to us?” “I get the
teacher and don’t go” she said. Then it happened. I asked, “What if
the stranger has candy?” “What kind of candy?” my daughter asked. I
was at a loss for words. When I composed myself, I asked, “What do you
mean when you say ‘What type of candy’?” “Well”, she said, “I’m not going
with someone just because they have a sucker. I can get one of those at
the bank any time. Now if they have a candy bar, I might go.” I was
furious. “Wrong! That is the wrong answer. You do not go with
them ever!” “But what if they have Skittles, Dad? Those are really
good and we don’t buy them very much.” I could not believe she was arguing
with me over this. “I don’t care what they have. You absolutely
never go with a stranger. At the time I was livid but in hindsight I can
look back and laugh. Though she was young, I can’t help but wonder if she
was just pulling my leg just to get a rise out of me. If that was the
case, it worked great! I was worked up for days. Still, you have to
be careful these days. You hear more and more about children being
abducted. They are so precious that you have to be on guard all the
time. Even my 17 year old daughter worries me when she goes out. I
tell her that I trust her. I just don’t trust all the other people.
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