Today we woke to horrible news that the sweet faced 10 year old girl from Springfield who had been abducted from her neighborhood yesterday was found dead. Just writing that sentence just leaves you with a sick feeling.
We have had some "close calls" I would say...or maybe it's just my mommy brain worrying. So last year I was leaving Walmart with my daughter who was 6 at the time. This truck started kinda following us and my mommy radar went off. I got her in her seat and started loading the groceries. At this point I had decided that he was probably just waiting for our spot. Don't ever discount that mommy gut! As I turned my back to put up the cart I hear him get out of his truck and I look back. He is headed right for my daughters door. I leave the cart and run back, he sees me and runs back to his truck and drives off. Maybe I was mistaken, maybe there was a misunderstanding but it sure didn't feel that way. I was shaking and couldn't drive for at least 10 minutes. By the way, that was in a crowded parking lot in the middle of the day.
Also last year in January, I get a call from my mom. She tells me that one of our close family members has been arrested for molesting a child. The first thing I did was throw up. For those unaware I was adopted. My childhood was a far cry from a "childhood". Because of my background I do NOT trust people. However this person I had let in my house, around my children, even around my children unattended. I was angry, not just at the person and what they had done but because I had let my guard down. Thankfully, he had not assaulted my children.
I say all this because we have to have the tough conversations with our kids. We have to talk about what inappropriate touching and conversations look like. We have to let them know to speak up no matter what, no matter who the person is or what they say. We also need to talk about what to do if someone tries to take you. Don't just talk about strangers, because statistically it could be someone they know. Tell them that no matter who it is or where they are if someone tries to get them to go with them to scream, to hit, to scratch, to bite and to scream some more. Looking at statistics their chances of being found alive go down drastically as soon as they get in that vehicle. Also remember people who prey on children are cowards. The louder your child is the bigger the chance is that they will run away. Make sure they know that even if it's someone they know that you personally will tell them if someone else is ever to pick them up. To never ever take someone else's word for it. Tell your kids that they don't have to be polite, that they won't be in trouble. Even if they are wrong and the person wasn't trying to take them that you will be proud of them for fighting back. We spend so much time teaching them to be polite and listen to adults. They need to know that there are times it's ok to be rude, it's ok to scream. I don't want my children to worry that they may get in trouble, those first few seconds can make all the difference. Your children have instincts just like you do, teach them to listen to them. Don't just have that conversation once and be done, they need to be reminded so they know what to do if God forbid they are ever in that position.
Praying for that girl's family and her community.
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