Wishes for the World
Check out this new version of the kids-talking-to-strangers warnings:
"Don't let a Stranger talk to you." Say it to yourself a couple times. Does this affect you differently than the standard "Don't talk to Strangers" rule we share with our kids?
My thought is this: if kids let a stranger talk to them, then the stranger has already set them up in the 'victim' role by gaining their attention. The kid then has to decide for themselves (with the education of the parents, hopefully) how to react. Personally, I ran my kid through different scenarios that could possibly be tempting enough to respond to the stranger... the stranger offers to show them kittens or giving them candy or tells them their parents sent them or whatever other lies are perpetrated to achieve their goal.
So, instead of leaving it up the immature mind of the child to assimilate the words/lies, they should not let the stranger talk to them. This would also include leaving the scene before the stranger approaches, thereby minimizing the possibility of physical abduction.
In an informal pole taken among my friends, the only negative response to this was that one of my friends never had "stranger" explained to her when she was told the standard warning we've all heard over and over. Not knowing who qualifies as 'stranger' made her presume anyone and everyone could be a stranger, including other students and potential friends. Therefore, she was very withdrawn as a child. So, I would recommend explaining what is a "stranger" in addition to sharing the warning, in either form.
If you think this is a better or even alternate solution to the original, spread the word to your friends and anyone else whose kids could be affected by this new tool in the war against child abusers.
Blessings,
--wishfairie13
"Don't let a Stranger talk to you." Say it to yourself a couple times. Does this affect you differently than the standard "Don't talk to Strangers" rule we share with our kids?
My thought is this: if kids let a stranger talk to them, then the stranger has already set them up in the 'victim' role by gaining their attention. The kid then has to decide for themselves (with the education of the parents, hopefully) how to react. Personally, I ran my kid through different scenarios that could possibly be tempting enough to respond to the stranger... the stranger offers to show them kittens or giving them candy or tells them their parents sent them or whatever other lies are perpetrated to achieve their goal.
So, instead of leaving it up the immature mind of the child to assimilate the words/lies, they should not let the stranger talk to them. This would also include leaving the scene before the stranger approaches, thereby minimizing the possibility of physical abduction.
In an informal pole taken among my friends, the only negative response to this was that one of my friends never had "stranger" explained to her when she was told the standard warning we've all heard over and over. Not knowing who qualifies as 'stranger' made her presume anyone and everyone could be a stranger, including other students and potential friends. Therefore, she was very withdrawn as a child. So, I would recommend explaining what is a "stranger" in addition to sharing the warning, in either form.
If you think this is a better or even alternate solution to the original, spread the word to your friends and anyone else whose kids could be affected by this new tool in the war against child abusers.
Blessings,
--wishfairie13
