Comments on: What You Might Not Know About ‘Stranger Danger’

By: Tony@mychildsafety.net

Tony@mychildsafety.net — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:44:53 +0000

No doubt, it is a very important issue that all parents must address – and one that requires ongoing, open communication with their children.

The single most important thing to remember when teaching your children about stranger danger is to instill confidence, rather than fear.

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:04:36 +0000

Hi, Michelle! It’s such a fine line between letting kids know that there are “bad” people out there, but not scaring them like you mention. I think the key is giving them a plan so they know what to do in each situation – it’s a cliche, but knowledge is power.

By: Michelle Irinyi

Michelle Irinyi — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:53:30 +0000

Lori,

This was informative and wonderfully written. I remember being terrified each year as a child when the police officer would come talk to my elementary school about “strangers”. I had nightmares for weeks! This is presented in a non-fearful, yet concrete way for even the youngest of children to understand.

By: Kathi

Kathi — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:50:29 +0000

Thank you, Lori! I just ordered two DVDs, “Stranger Safety” and the Internet safety one. My kindergartener is just starting to use the computer, and I haven’t figured out how to approach the safety issue yet (he’s within view and only visits the starfall.com phonics site–at this point he doesn’t know how to get anywhere else, but that won’t last long, I’m sure!). All three of my kids are very outgoing and friendly, which has its drawbacks…we’ve had the stranger danger talk before, and still my daughter will latch on to almost anyone she meets. I love the concepts you outlined and can’t wait til the DVDs arrive. Great recommendation!

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:05:53 +0000

Thanks, Mariah! This is a cause I feel very strongly about, so I’m happy to get the word out.

I thought of something later that might seem confusing – on one hand, I talk about how the words “stranger danger” don’t really work at helping a child know how to stay safe.

On the other hand, the DVD I recommend is called “Stranger Safety”. The DVD itself doesn’t actually use the word “stranger” at all, only Safe Adult/Kinda Knows/Don’t Knows.

They used “stranger” in the DVD title because that’s how we usually talk about it, which helps people to know what the DVD is about.

By: Mariah@ Playful Learning

Mariah@ Playful Learning — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:32:00 +0000

Thank you for this important information and valuable resources!