“Don't talk to strangers.” “Stranger danger.”
Yeah, we all know the catch lines and keywords, but what good is a keyword when a seemingly innocent old lady lays some tripe on your kid about helping her search for a lost dog?
The story pulls at their heart-strings, and they go along with it.
But what if that old lady is using the line to lure them somewhere?
On the other hand, in a public place, a well-meaning person might show the child a picture, and ask if they have seen his dog.
If the child screams “stranger danger” and runs off, it doesn't do either one of them much good.
The “stranger danger” fad had been known to prevent children from getting help when they need it, even from police officers and fire fighters.
Is that how you want your kid to behave, by reacting to every encounter with a new person as if they are about to be killed?
What about the new clerk at the candy store, or somebody injured in a car crash?
The fact is, that while these wonderful little phrases do a lot of good, they have the potential to do equally as much harm.
Don't rely on goofy slogans. Get involved, talk to your kids about everything, including people they see and wonder about.
Open up the lines of communication, and teach them some common sense about interacting with people.
This report will give you some helpful advice about raising well adjusted kids by teaching them to know the warning signs, giving them an intuitive sense of situations to avoid, and what to run to if they are in trouble.
It's easier than you might think.
