Were you ever walking along with your child in a mall or store aisles, when a total strange man or woman stops in front of the child and leans over, "Come on, now, give us a kiss!" Perhaps you have witnessed this.
Of course, the child is pretty and adorable! But no stranger has the right to cross these boundaries with a child. In these days of lawsuits, abuse accusations, and sexual harassment training at work, you'd think the average adult would have common sense to not get friendly with any child not his or her own!
So what should you do if it happens to your child (grandchild, etc)? Quickly and firmly take the child and back off. If you have to say something, say, "Don't touch the child!" Then leave!
This is one of those "prevention," "protection" items your child has to grow up knowing: never, ever, talk to a stranger. Never go with a stranger. Never let a stranger touch you. Don't go far away from mommy and daddy.
We don't want to create paranoid little urchins. They can understand, "Most people are really nice but a few might want to take you and hurt you. We don't want that!"
Don't let the little ones wander off while you shop. You would hate to have to ask a store to announce, "A child is missing" with your child's description. You would hate to make a "Missing Child" report to the police. It would be gut-wrenching to see your child's photo on TV with the newscaster asking for help in finding the child. We won't go any further with this line of thinking.
In Europe, you see a lot of toddlers wearing harnesses and leashes. You don't see very many in America. But children with harnesses get a bit of freedom to walk around and never get lost.
Lord God, you know how very, very much we love these beautiful children with whom you have blessed us! Help us learn to protect them in every way possible yet help them grow strong and healthy, and loving you!
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