Would Your Child Walk Off With This Stranger?

 

Would Your Child Walk Off With This Stranger?

Avid YouTuber Joey Salads brings an interesting social experiment to the fore with his online video. In it he reveals just how easy it can be to win a child's trust and interest - all you need is an affable personality and an extremely cute dog to go with it! Joey exposes how, inspite of all the talks, warnings and threats, children can be easily abducted resulting in the staggering statistics that haunt us; in the U.S. alone over 700 kids are abducted every single day!

The mums in the video have probably invested a lot of time and effort in preparing their kids for stranger danger, which is why they all have expressions of utter disbelief when their kid calmly walks off with the 'stranger' at play. But how would you ever know how your kid is going to react? Would your child walk off with this stranger?

Dealing with strangers is an important chapter in your child's safety and development. Teaching your kids how to respond and react when a stranger lurks or approaches them is vital and must be incorporated into the everyday talks parents have with their kids. But clearly more is needed; simply telling them to not talk to strangers is not enough- as Joey clearly illustrates. What and how your kids interact with and trust when meeting a completely new person is all part of the picture, as is the consequences of choosing to ignore all your advice.

There may not be a fool proof, perfect strategy here; we need to take our kids and their environment, personalities, curiosities and risks into account. But to help you along the way, here are 5 simple tips to facilitate the process of prepping your kid for stranger danger.

1. Give them an Action Plan

It isn't enough to tell your kid to not talk to strangers; you need to give them a clear and precise action plan. For instance tell them to speak to someone only when they have been personally introduced by you to them; just because they saw mommy speak to someone is not a good enough reason for them to do so too. Further, you need to clearly state what they should do once a stranger does approach- head to the nearest shop or police station, make noise, call out for you- be precise and practice with them.

2. Not All Strangers are Bad

You don't want your kids living in fear of strangers and life in general. Show them that their greatest weapon is caution and discernment, not fear. Not all strangers are out to harm or kidnap your kid, and it is important your kid learns that. Not only will this make life a lot simpler and anxiety free for them, it will actually hone their instincts when it comes to meeting new people.

3. Listen to Your Instincts

It is important to realize that a vast proportion of all abductions are carried out by people kids know rather than by complete strangers. Therefore teach your kids to listen to their instincts even if they know the person reasonably well. Tell them that if they feel even slightly uncomfortable, it is okay to react and step away- no matter how close or well known the person is.

4. Strangers can be Online Too

Predators don't just lurk in parks and back alleys; this is the twenty first century- the internet is just as much home to them. Teach your kids about safe conduct and practice online, showing them how to secure their privacy, keep personal details to a minimum and not engage with random people online.

5. Do Not Feed their Curiosity

Don't become the very cause for your kids walking off with a stranger by drawing rigid and seemingly unreasonable boundaries; you don't want encounters with strangers to become the forbidden fruit your kid is actually tempted by. A lot of parents emotionally blackmail their kids into not interacting with strangers, but we all know the real danger is not being away from mommy but the risks abduction really poses. You may not be able to tell you kid all of it at their tender age, but it is vital you hint at the real consequences so they understand why it is so important to stay away from strangers- to you and to them.

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