When it comes to safety for children, adults often have to do the dance of “how much do I say?” One doesn’t want to frighten a child by explaining dangers in graphic detail, but neither is it truly protecting a child to let him or her remain ignorant and without skills to deal with issues that may come up.
At IMPACT we use the example of crossing the street to discuss personal safety. If I am teaching a child to cross the street, I will certainly not talk about broken bones and blood, hospital visits, years of therapy and possible death. Nor will I just say, “go ahead and cross” without discussing looking for cars, judging speed, etc. Similarly, when preparing our children to be safe in the world, we certainly don’t need to talk about the horrors of molestation or kidnappings. It also would be irresponsible to send them off to school, dance class, or soccer without preparing them in some way for people or behaviors they might encounter.
The fact is that as caring moms, dads, aunts, etc. you cannot be there all the time to protect them. And if they have ever walked through the room when you were watching the news or a more adult show, overheard an adult conversation, or even heard something from a friend – they already have some worries. Giving them the skills to address them in a fun, age-appropriate way actually makes them feel safer. By giving tools rather than statistics, children can feel strong and confident without needing to know the full context within which they’re getting them.