On 11/28/05, Shel Belinkoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Making children afraid of anything is stupid and irresponsible. Teaching > children caution, awareness, and the ability to exercise good judgment is > far more important.
You are absolutely right, Shel. A year or two ago, I was walking with my kids down the street in Toronto, and a stranger walking the other direction on the sidewalk smiled and said "hi". I reciprocated. Later that day, on the streetcar, I engaged in some superficial conversation with a fellow traveller. My kids I noticed my kids snuggling against me as if they were uncomfortable. I asked what was wrong, and they said that their mom (my ex) told them that it was wrong to talk to strangers. They were afraid for my safety, because I was "talking with strangers". I had a long chat with them, letting them know that it's okay to exchange pleasantries with people on the street, or have brief conversations with people you don't know (although one must be careful not to reveal too much personal info). It's all part of living in society. I know with kids it can be difficult to teach such nuances. It's easier to make things black and white. They like it that way, and it's easier to teach that way. Maybe it's easier to drill into them, "don't talk to strangers", and once they've taken that to heart to teach the exceptions. Still, I found it sad that my kids seemed to walk the streets in fear that they'd be approached or talked to. I don't want to minimize the problems of perverts and weirdos approaching little kids. But, there has to be some balance, and the post that started this thread shows what can happen when that balance isn't kept. -frank -- "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson
