Stranger Danger: Do We REALLY Need To Worry?

How much freedom do you give your kids? Are they allowed to play outside, go places and do things on their own or do you live in fear that they could be kidnapped if you're not with them? Is stranger danger a frightening fact or a bit of fiction?

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• parenting
• parenting advice
• jessica gottlieb
• stranger danger
• kidnapping
• kidnap
• missing childrend
• leaving your kid alone
• kids
• kidnapper
• kids in public
• right age to leave a kid alone
• old enough to be out alone

[Depraved30]

@AshWalkup when your fears actually happen, it isn't being paranoid. It is being right!

[Depraved30]

This woman is insane! Yes there is a real danger from true strangers, it is in the news all the time. In ONE weekend near where I live, there was 4 attempted abductions, four, FOUR!! by strangers. Yes there is the danger from sources close to or in home, VERY true. Vigilance everywhere is vital to protect the children. It only takes ONE or once for a tragedy to permanently damage or end a child's life.

There are too many potential dangers to consider, from people & events. Take care of the kids

[momsreview4you]

I have a hard time with this. I don't give my kids much freedom at all when it comes to being outside. If they are outside it has to be in the fenced in backyard. My husband things my kids are ready to walk home from school alone but it makes me way too nervous!

[angelashelton]

More than 90% of the abusers of children are people the kids know. I think you have to keep your wits about your while teaching your children to be the kids who would yell out if a weirdo tried anything. Although there are A LOT of freaks out there, they are usually in the family. Strangers can be saviors from said family.

Trust your gut (even about uncle Bob). You're usually right on.

[Radish4ever]

I've gien a stranger danger talk to my kids a few times.. I had to do a big one yesterday because we went to McDs and my daughter found this guy with 2 kids and would NOT SHUT UP. She was telling him her name, age, where she lived, all about our family, all about my pregnancy and ON AND ON AND ON - even sitting at his table when I got her an ice cream. What the heck is that? While I'm not so worried if she's out of my house, she certainly does need to have SOME stranger boundaries, ykwim?

[AshWalkup]

I think it's a great video but I was almost abducted once as an adult so I have to say that personally, I am more than a little paranoid.

[FredloverABC]

about like...

[snoopyclone]

I don't think people that are afraid of strangers kidnapping their kids are completely crazy but I'm completely with you on people that you know. You CANNOT completely trust everyone you know around your kids...you just can't. It's sad to say.

[CCOCSJA]

I struggle with this issue - I hate the notion of making my kids afraid of people and yet I am very afraid of those terrible things happening to them.

[hardertobreathe]

I think "Stranger Danger" is a valid concern - what matters is how you deal with it. I think you can be legitimately concerned about it without being irrationally overprotective - after all, it's also unlikely that a fire will destroy my house, but I still have homeowner's insurance. I think you make an excellent point about the fact that so much abuse happens when children are with people they trust - I think that's very important to talk about and be aware of.