One Clear Dot

I was just watching a video story on CNN about a little boy who prevented a four-year-old girl from being kidnapped by yelling and tugging on her as she was being carried away. The whole thing was caught on security cameras outside the doors of the children’s apartments. I was shocked at how cool and calm the would-be kidnapper appeared. He just strolled up and grabbed the girl and after he finally let her go, he never missed a beat. At the end of the tape you can even see as a security guard rounds the corner and they pass one another. The kidnapper just keeps walking the same pace.

The story went on to say that most abductions are young girls taken from outdoor settings. My own daughter is four and so I brought her in to watch the news story with me. I wanted her to see that this little girl was simply playing n the stoop on her own apartment when a stranger tried to grab her. We talked about Stranger Danger, yelling loud, kicking, and scream “this is not my parent”.

I believe in being very open with my daughter. I want her to be afraid of strangers to a healthy degree. When I was young, we played outside all day, running all over the neighborhood, and we hardly had a worry in the world. Things are so different now. People have turned into deranged animals that go about their days and when they see an opportunity to hurt a child, they brazenly and casually do so.

We all know that once these young girls are abducted, they are generally molested sand killed within hours. Once your daughter has been taken, it is almost always hopeless. I talked to my daughter about making sure she is always playing within sight of a trusted adult. I have no told her exactly what these kidnappers usually do, just that they take children and hurt them.

I wish I could shield my daughter from these harsh realities, but I feel like if I allow her to live in ignorance, it may one day be our downfall. She is a friendly child who would go off with almost anyone, so I have had to instill in her the sense of caution she was not born with.

Posted on December 23rd, 2007 by onecleardot
Filed under: Parenting, Life in the U.S.