How do you talk to your children about sex offenders and predators? I think it is the best policy to start early as a precautionary and preventive measure. Sex offenders and predators are the worst. To gain your child's trust and then abuse it is sad and maddening on every level. What are your thoughts on how to approach?
I tell her to beware of "tricky" people. I tell her that no adult should ever ask her to keep a secret. I tell her that no one is allowed to touch her in any area that a swimsuit covers.
There is a lot more, this is just off the top of my head.
Since my son was three and could understand we had the bad touch talk. Over the years he was able to understand more so we started talking to him about needing to stay with us because someone would take him and try to hurt him. I also gave him code words to scream out to get attention of neighbors and such if someone were to try and take him. We spoke about never going into a strangers car unless it is a police officer and took him to the local police station to speak with an officer about that. We told him never to accept things from strangers without his parents permission. And more. We live next door to my mother in law and my brother in law so we always have a look out for the kids. But I just don't want to be too relaxed about this since my past experiences with it. I even explained to him that kids can be just as bad and not to be ashamed to come and talk to me if a kid has been making him do things that make him uncomfortable. Luckily we talked about that because I have had an ex friend's daughter do that very thing to my son. She kept on trying to look down his pants at his penis and when he said no she tried to force his pants down. After that we stopped going over there.
Yeah, my son has only stayed the night with two people his whole life. My Mom and my mother in law. He is seven and that is still the same two people he has stayed the night with. I trust my brother in law but his step daughter and his youngest son have been known to run off without telling their Dad and they are both bullies that like to make other kids do things. So he doesn't stay over there.
we've generally just talked to our girls about the 'good touch/bad touch' thing then they aren't allowed to talk to strangers unless one of two things... one is Mom/Dad are with you.. or 2 you can't find mom/dad
although for the most part they are with one of us or another family member and they NEVER walk the streets unless they're with someone
by the way my girls are 6 and almost 4
i tried the good/bad touch this evening it was a good start. my dd referred good touch to hugging your mom or dad and bad touch to slapping or hitting. Then we talked about comfortable and uncomfortable, i think i still left things too vague. she turns 5 tomorrow. we have been talking about this for about 2 years. originally we had nicknames for our private parts but now she knows the real words. just in case she has to ever talk to authorities.
I don't even remember how we approached it to start with. I started talking to them about it when they could talk. Now we bring it up weekly by using the stories on the news or shows they see like Criminal Minds. They also used to watch that What Would You Do show and we'd talk about how they would react if a stranger approached. One actually did try to get my oldest to help him look for his "missing puppy" last year. My son ran home and told me immediately. We called the school and the police.
I talk to my girls about it all the time...they are 13 and 7. They know pretty much about sex offenders and preadtors...I tell mine to watch for signs and never be afraid to say no and they are going to tell...
Do you have a landline?
- JayneeDoe
on Nov. 15, 2012 at 10:09 PM