Amy M.: I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter who is friendly with everyone. How do I talk to her about stranger danger to make her understand? I don’t want to confuse her about who is a good stranger (police) and just plain strangers.
JW: It’s tough to find the right balance between scaring your kids about the dangers of interacting with strangers, and not preparing them enough. But when we talk to our kids, we need try to steer clear of the “stranger danger” myths. Children don’t have the same understanding of “strangers” as adults do, and so it’s a difficult idea for kids to understand. And in most instances, dangers to children tend to come from people they or their families know. The experts at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) suggest that instead of kids looking out for a particular type of person, it’s helpful for parents to focus more on teaching kids about how to be confident in potentially dangerous situations. Take the time to practice some “what if” scenarios with your kids when you are out with them in public, and often so that their responses become like second nature. NCMEC has a number of resources available online that offer many more tips to help you talk to your kids and to help keep them safer.
8 Comments on "How Can I Teach My Child About Staying Away From Strangers?"
FRANCES SHANNON
I feel very strongly that John Walsh is a true American Hero of the best kind. His life’s work has been finding and taking criminals off the streets and putting them away where they can not do more harm to ANY citizens, especially children. He must have stars in his crown waiting for him in Heaven.
jackie Roution
John Walsh has been a topic in my home with my children since they were smaller.Now 2 has children of their own! Have 1 small child in home.Nice UH ooh!! My question is: When my middle daughter was 11,we found out a relative was molesting her since she was bout 6.Said counselors,etc.My question is:He has spent 13 years in La Grange.He was suppose to have counseling while he was in there.He did NOT!! They still gonna release him sometime early in 2008 yr.How can they release him? And Why isn’y kentucky and other states harder on this criminals?They have more rights than this children.They need to keep them in jail rest of their life and castate like some states.They need to give them life.That is the sentencing this children get.My daughter is 24 now.Married and has children.Whe n she found out when he was getting out.In my eyes.It was almost like she was 11 almost All over again! I do not understand any of the laws pertaining to this.Its like they too good to crimunals!!
joyce
I feel so sorry for your daughter and you are right there is no justification for the terrible thing this person has done and there has to be better laws to protect the children We need to screeem louder to the lawmakers I feel so sick at the thought of what so many children go through
Henry Zaczek
I think the question from Amy M is an extremely important one. No one knows this better than Mr. Walsh himself.
I have seen telivised experiments where actors were (with permission from their parents) allowed to approach children who were taught frequently about talking to strangers. The entire approsch was filmed. Almost all of them went with the stranger. Parents were shocked because they teach their children regularly about such things. Yet the children made their own choices when faced a request to find lost puppies or were offerred candy.
Perhaps Mr. Walsh would be interested in teaming up with Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Phil for a special study on finding the most effective methods of teaching our children the safer options.
As a parent, I teach my kids all that I could in this regard and I get the right gist from their answers but I don’t fool myself into knowing that the real situation, should it arise, might yeild different results.
Mr. Walsh,
I am not a religious person but I too see you as a living saint. Thank you for all your hard work.
Peggy Shipman
I honestly believe what John Walsh does is wonderful. I know that he helped produce a video about strangers and our kids. My problem as well as many others is that I can’t afford to purchase the video and my library doesn’t have it to rent. I have a granddaughter that is so friendly with everyone and I talk with her all the time but I can’t seem to get her to understand that there are really bad people in this world.that only act like they are the kids friends. I do wish there would be more the school systems could do to help with this problem.
angela pressley
myself and my family have been through &
know what it feels like to have a member of our family (a young child )to be abducted you see very few of these children are ever found alive and if so
they experience a tormoil for the rest of their lives and fear of oneday their attacker may be released if they have been captured. You see my cousin was abducted and murdered by a neighbor.Whom was later captured and is now serving a life sentence.While the investigation was underway of my cousin’s murder the police dept. discovered that this person who abducted & murdered my cousin was an ex-cop.also that he was a repeat offender of child molestation.there were several children that came forth whom lived with their families in the same neighborhood after his arrest that told because they were no longer afraid to tell & were nolonger to be threatened by him as he would tell them if they told on him for molesting them that he would kill them and their familiy.People like this know how to threaten and intemidate a child and most of them are experienced at it. I agree to teach your children and that schools and parents should team up and get on the same page so they can protect our children.
and get educated yourself on what to look for.
Because you never know when this is going to happen to you. My family & I sure didn’t.
glenn merryweather
when people like john walsh can take criminals off the streets and put them behind bars, it makes me think that by me getting involved, that i can help the police and the community make a big difference.
Jill
I luv amw! myself and my fiance are parents of 2 little girls. Tthey are so sweet and innocent, I luv your tips on child safety. My oldest daughter is goin to be goin to preschool soon and i wanted to no how do I no if her school is SAFE?
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