tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post7020160109157132880..comments2024-03-20T01:12:06.791-07:00Comments on Snickollet: Stranger DangerSnickollethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14123630374052898460noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-13240473771849849272010-05-03T17:00:03.586-07:002010-05-03T17:00:03.586-07:00I'm reading your blog now and this comment is ...I'm reading your blog now and this comment is ever so late, but I have to say--I trust that kind of feeling. I was out today in our very nice neighborhood, spring day at a frozen yogurt store and as I pulled in saw a man approaching an older couple--it registered just in the back of my mind, but enough that when I left and I saw him approaching me alarms went off in my head and I locked my Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08168780996793365967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-31091034677449511402008-04-22T12:45:00.000-07:002008-04-22T12:45:00.000-07:00I think this makes sense, especially for you, sinc...I think this makes sense, especially for you, since you must feel outnumbered. If you have to protect both, but they are running in opposite directions, what do you do? This is very visceral and understandable, and not at all strange to have occurred to you on a morning when it was just you, the man you've never seen, and two free-roaming toddlers on that street. I guess it's just another Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09745262857388007041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-11797543139234280992008-04-21T18:55:00.000-07:002008-04-21T18:55:00.000-07:00As terrible as it might be to say, you're absolute...As terrible as it might be to say, you're absolutely right to see the situation the way you do. <BR/><BR/>The media is sensationalist and ridiculous, making it appear as if children are being abducted off every street corner in America by fixating on it so morbidly, but as a parent you can't give anyone the benefit of the doubt. <BR/><BR/>Someone once said, "The most dangerous place in the world BrightBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13002463263474418737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-86176179077618774772008-04-19T13:32:00.000-07:002008-04-19T13:32:00.000-07:00Fear can be natural and healthy, but it is also ve...Fear can be natural and healthy, but it is also very fed by the sensationalism we are exposed to in this culture. Fear sells. Fear is fed by our prejudices and biases. In reality, stranger abduction is about as likely as getting hit by lightning - we spend waaay to much time worrying about it, at a price, and statistically at least, your kids have much more to fear from people they know. I'd Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-60222650360188324962008-04-17T21:39:00.000-07:002008-04-17T21:39:00.000-07:00I think my friend Angie says it best: the point is...I think my friend Angie says it best: the point is to raise kids who are completely, to the best of your abilities safe, while they feel, 24/7, that they completely are. In other words, being vigilant and awake ALL the time, but having them grow up believing that there is very little to worry about or be afraid of. This is my challenge, too--and as someone who grew up unprotected from someone Annagracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021075458930062771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-32125580392775585982008-04-17T16:07:00.000-07:002008-04-17T16:07:00.000-07:00Totally, totally second the rec for The Gift of Fe...Totally, totally second the rec for The Gift of Fear and Protecting the Gift (the latter is specifically aimed at parents/caretakers--stupid of the author and publisher to have the gift in one book be fear, and the gift in another be your child! but I digress). I own Protecting the Gift and I would be happy to lend it to you. It is not an exaggeration to say that these books changed my life. TheyUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07291812015576239832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-49447936193015260532008-04-17T15:09:00.000-07:002008-04-17T15:09:00.000-07:00With you on seeing the difficulty ahead as the kid...With you on seeing the difficulty ahead as the kids grow. There is danger now, and different dangers as they become more independent. I went to a really good talk last night about cybersafety and tween age kids, which made the point that we need to let them learn and explore and make mistakes, but also watch and talk with them so that they have help and support and guidance.Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14909920050344480548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-24290206184221255962008-04-17T14:42:00.000-07:002008-04-17T14:42:00.000-07:00Always trust your gut instinct. I wish I would hav...Always trust your gut instinct. I wish I would have, the night that I was assaulted. You can never be too safe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-22225094164076084852008-04-17T10:06:00.000-07:002008-04-17T10:06:00.000-07:00So hard to strike a balance. There's part of me t...So hard to strike a balance. There's part of me that really thinks a lot of parents over-protect their kids, and I want my kids to have some freedom to play in the neighborhood and ride their bikes when they get older.<BR/><BR/>And then I get a piece of mail from the police this week, telling me a level 3 sex offender has moved in down the street. Can you say holy crap? Mama bear instincts popLiz Jimenezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02113299527583609272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-54891591444341216462008-04-17T09:56:00.000-07:002008-04-17T09:56:00.000-07:00Oh I really grappled with this one. As the victim ...Oh I really grappled with this one. As the victim of a mugging in my early 20s, my stranger danger antennae were always on high alert with my daughter and son (not twins.) <BR/><BR/>I tried REALLY hard not to project my fears on to them and I think I did pretty well, but as teenagers, they wanted to be involved in a project in the same neighborhood where my mugging took place and I just couldn't Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-45080073885736135052008-04-17T09:44:00.000-07:002008-04-17T09:44:00.000-07:00Have you read The Gift of Fear? I have the compan...Have you read The Gift of Fear? I have the companion book, Protecting The Gift, and I can't recommend it enough. (The author, BTW, would tell you to trust your instincts, too, but he might teach you something about being able to tell the difference between your instincts about a particular person and the overall worry we've had instilled in us about the child predator.)<BR/><BR/>I have a 2 andJanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14283795121315770050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-22453288363028014992008-04-17T09:41:00.000-07:002008-04-17T09:41:00.000-07:00I would have to wonder if parents feel that way ab...I would have to wonder if parents feel that way about me. I am childless, but a stroller never passes me without me smiling at the baby/child. I love to watch children and listen to the hysterical things they say. I am the type of person to be hanging with the kids, playing at parties instead of sitting with the adults.<BR/><BR/>I just know in my heart of hearts that I am too selfish and Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14978375225313974459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-29759733389390908872008-04-17T08:53:00.000-07:002008-04-17T08:53:00.000-07:00Once, not too long ago, my husband and I were eati...Once, not too long ago, my husband and I were eating dinner in a pub with our son. I was making him shriek in hysterical glee by asking 'where's mama?' over and over again.<BR/><BR/>A grizzled old biker man at the bar, during a pause in our laughter, called out, "do it again, mama!"<BR/><BR/>I looked over, startled. There were very few people there. He gestured to us and said, "there is nothing moohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18071861788945352081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-7795435399129322852008-04-17T08:43:00.000-07:002008-04-17T08:43:00.000-07:00i was going to say exactly the same thing as amy. ...i was going to say exactly the same thing as amy. trust your instincts. they're usually not wrong - and as amy says, even if they are - better to be safe. don't let your mind second-guess your gut feelings.sapphohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870477635132443610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17626032.post-26364887838423620172008-04-17T08:11:00.000-07:002008-04-17T08:11:00.000-07:00I think you should listen to your instincts. I don...I think you should listen to your instincts. I don't know that you'd have that same reaction in a similar situation, I think your alarm bells were going off. Trust your instincts. Better to be wrong than sorryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com