Do any of you know of a business or organization that does role-play to test the street smarts of kids? I periodically discuss safety with my kids and talk about “what if” to give them examples of ways people might try to “trick” them away from school, home or stores and take them but I want to do more. We have watched the “safe side” video and discussed our “really know” and “kinda know” people and all those on our “safe side" list. Kids can be abducted in seconds and I might watch them like a hawk but I don’t really know how they would handle themselves in a real life situation. I was wondering if there was a place where I could hire someone to try and lure one of them away. I really just want to pull out all the stops at giving them all the skills they need to be safe and be smart.
I was very disappointed in the outcome of my request. I was looking for possible leads to a community resource and instead I was judged as a parent. Moms have a hard enough job but when we are passing judgment on other Moms we only make our own life more difficult.
When it comes to the safety of children, I don’t think anyone should take things too lightly. I am sad that so many other Moms seem to be living in denial about the dangers of child predators. I was accused of being over reactive, extreme, too worried and told to take a “chill pill”. I did NOT want someone to try and grab and run off with my kid. I did NOT want to see if they could physically fight off an attacker. While I think talking to our kids is a good idea, they sometimes know how to give the answers we seek but don’t always know how to think on their feet in real life. I was wondering what they would do in the real life situation of a person in the park with an empty leash looking for a lost puppy. I am curious if told by a stranger “Mommy needs your help” would my kid go???? I fully intended to be there to observe their reactions and to talk about the outcome with them. I would never put them in harms way or have them go through something that would leave them feeling scared or insecure.
I am disappointed in the feedback I received but I am not discouraged. Every week we hear something in the news about a missing child and it rarely turns out with a happy ending. I am not going to sit back and allow my children to become a statistic.
Personally, that might damage them for life! They will still be "living the experience" even though its not real.
By the way, they did that on an episode of desperate housewives-I think the "pretend intruder" was beaten by a neighbor.
I agree that it might be a bit of overkill-- if not outright dangerous. Stranger abduction, while tragic and much publicized, is very rare. You've given your kids every skill possible to avoid a situation like that, but it is a fine line between educating them and creating neurosis. If you are still concerned, you could contact your local police department and discuss it with them, but I think it sounds like you have done an excellent job talking to them. One thing that I remember police offers saying to us in school was that "the second scene is always worse than the first." I think 6 might be a bit too young for THAT knowledge, but continue to reinforce (periodically-- again, no need to make them afraid to go outside) that they should do everything possible to avoid being taken.
It is so scary being a Mom these days!
Mark Twain used to say that all the things we worry about are not the things that get us! With all due respect, I would say maybe you should take a chill pill. :)
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It sounds like you are already doing a lot to give them the skills they need to be smart about their personal safety. I don't know of any local companies that do that, though perhaps your local police department does. I do share the same concern as the other poster about it possibly traumatizing your children, especialy at their young ages.
If I could offer a couple alternatives...talk to local police departments to see if they have "stranger danger" programs that you can sign your kids up for. Maybe also consider self-defense classes for them. My kids (ages 4 and 5) take karate lessons and the teacher stresses that the skills they learn are to defend themselves if someone should try to hurt them, grab them, etc. I've actually learned a few things myself from watching the classes.
