Today I read this article: (http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?sid=158841&nid=5) It is an example of alarmist marketing.
“Statistics show that roughly 2,000 children are reported missing every day.” That is probably true, but they fail to mention that the vast majority of those “missing” children are at a friend’s house, with a friendly relative, asleep behind the couch, or have some other benign reason for not being where they were expected. Most of the kids who appear on those Missing Children mailers have been abducted by a parent in the course of a custody battle. This is heart rending for those involved, but does not reflect the risk to the average person’s child at all.
Next statement: “Police say the first three hours are the most critical after a child is taken.” This is a true statement. If a child is truly abducted by a “friend” or, much more rarely, a total stranger then the first hours are critical. Having your child’s picture and vital statistics ready to hand CAN be a big help the police greatly. So the idea of carrying the info with you is a worthwhile one whether you choose to keep a photo in your wallet or a USB stick on your keychain. Unfortunately most parents go through the effort once and then, feeling secure, fail to update the photo and info regularly.
What bothers me most about the article is the way that they imply that child abduction is an imminent threat to ALL children. This simply isn’t true. Child abduction with the intent to harm the child is rare. Parents do not need to live in daily nail-biting fear that someone will steal their child. What parents need to do is take proactive steps to minimize their risk. Identity kits are a good step. Teaching kids how to evaluated and talk to strangers is another. Evaluating all the adults whom you allow to have unsupervised access to your kids is yet another. Talking through with kids how to react to a threatening adult is a great idea. Reading Protecting The Gift by Gavin De Becker is a fantastic place to start. There are so many things that parents can be doing to make their children safe, but unfortunately many parents just wring their hands and sleep poorly at night instead.
Here here!
I cannot agree more. If we believe the media, it is MUCH more dangerous now for our kids in uncountable ways than 35 years ago. Bah! I know mothers who are deathly afraid of letting a six-year-old go to a public bathroom unescorted because he might be molested or taken. Statistically the chances are smaller now than in the past.
Just for kicks I did a search of missing boys in the US under the age of 13 in the last two years and came up with 2 still listed once you take out the custody dispute “abductions.” That’s it, just two (not that it isn’t horrible for those involved), but the media make it sound like there are hundreds if not thousands who are taken every year.
Our society is much more aware now and much more paranoid too. I think of my latchkey childhood (which had no ill effects I can find) and think how my parents would most likely be explaining it to a DCFS case worker or judge if they were doing the same things today. My kids are luckier with a stay at home Mom, but the idea that if kids are left alone for any time at all bad things will happen drives me nuts.
Sorry for the rant. Just one of my hot-button issues.
Dave
I do feel that there is a risk leaving kids home alone. But it is more in the arena of Kids Do Stupid Stuff, than Endangerment By Criminals. At some point kids are ready for the responsibility of being home solo.
It’s one of my hot-button issues too, hence the entry.
Oh Yeah
I totally agree about Kids do stupid stuff. That is the main reason why my kids are highly supervised. Common sense seems to be something developed at a much later stage.
I always knew I was an odd kid, but now as a parent I realize how very odd I was. I acted with reason and restraint from a very young age (yes my parents have verified this), which is much of the reason they trusted me so much. If only one of my children was odd that way, sigh.
Dave