DNA Lady
Run out into the middle of the road, scream really nasty words, scratch as hard as you can, kick in the groin, face, stomach, bite and bite hard (keep the evidence), throw rocks and throw your books - that is what I'd would tell my kids! Oh, what a horrible thing to tell your children but picture this - someone (anyone) comes up to my children while they are waiting on a cold, rainy morning for the school bus. The bus is late only because boots, umbrellas, rain ponchos (maybe called hoodies today) all take a little extra time to allow children to settle onto the bus once boarded. But mommy or daddy have a webinar at 9am and in internet world - 9am is 9am - even in the rain. The kids have been getting on the same bus now for a few weeks - we have all settled into a school schedule. If you read the papers in the last few years - abductors are not just creepy old men - but young female teachers, young male coaching assistants, the angry mother next door or the older teenager down the block. Better to teach a protective behavior than try and figure out who harbors some weirdo behavior in mind. Check your zipcode for the number of "sex offenders" in your 10 mile area.
So someone comes up to the bus stop and offers the wet and book laden kids a ride to school - using any excuse - the bus is stuck in traffic, the bus was cancelled due to weather, I'm going to your school now - I'm the school parking attendant? - in fact, one little girl thinks she knows the person behind the wheel and so she starts on her way into the car - but my children start to throw their books, yell at the person behind the wheel, kick the car, use their umbrella as a weapon - anything that will bring attention to the person behind the wheel and alert a neighbor or a passing car. By the way, as a neighbor you should have eyes on the street as well - just because they are not your kids - the world should know that your neighborhood has extra "eyes" watching. My children will begin to run or walk in the opposite direction the car is travelling. Hopefully, their actions will scare off the person behind the wheel - because I have taught my children to not behave!
My children behave for me - when I say and what I say and who I say and how I say and why I say - they do not have to listen to any other adult - unless I have given them the "say so" and/or the circumstances warrants another adult to be in charge of the situation (police, fire, teacher, coach or older sibling, grandparent or a relative I trust.) If that is the case, my children will have been told ahead of time or will have enough insight to understand the situation- otherwise they are too young to be left alone. In the 1960s, a kid could walk the streets of Brooklyn - buy a pack of gum or a "pound of ground round" at the local butcher and not be too worried about neighbors - everyone knew everyone - your parents knew all the neighbors and all your neighbors' business and the "odd" person(s) - was easily recognized. In the summer everyone sat on the front stoop and in the winter - everyone played in each other's homes or again out in the street - how cold could it be if you were playing kick ball anyway? With Central air, backyard decks and grills - we don't really see each other - in fact I would guarantee that some in our neighborhood would not recognize their neighbor if he/she wasn't standing in their driveway - that's what we've become.
By now most parents know all about Stranger Danger - all the little suburban towns have hosted a night out where the kids get fingerprinted and get to see the inside of the police car. The sad truth is that fingerprints and dentition (those toothprints offered by your friendly family dentist) are only used on a forensic basis (when the crime has already taken place) - so we feel we have guarded our children against danger. A fingerprint, especially of a child will change over a life time, toothprints - will definitely change from year to year and possibly from month to month during the first few years of school and each of these identifying factors are only used in a crime scene - that is the crime is over and done.
Today's parents, can have their child's DNA Safeguarded so that at any time a crime scene is swiped for DNA - if your child (or loved one) goes missing - you have an accurate record of your child's DNA that you can provide to the local authorities - not a genetic profile put together 30 days after the crime from items left behind or from relatives. DNA Safeguarding is just as easy as toothprints and/or fingerprinting and does not change over a chid's lifetime.
Now that kids are back to school, there are opportunities for those "creeps" to grab a child walking home from the bus, or school alone. A child who stayed late for an extra class, a group project or an athletic event - "grabbing" is an opportunistic event - majority of child abductions are based solely on opportunity. So while we have some "creeps" who get up in the morning and try to figure out a way to capture their prey - there are those among us who may have those tendencies but have not acted on them yet - and then a rare opportunity presents itself. Remind your children to always walk in groups - don't allow another child to walk alone in front or behind the group. Be the person in the group to include everyone. Teach your children a little about inclusion - it is good for their character anyway.
Some of the types of luring that goes on, whether during the summer months when children are more likely outdoors or during the winter months, when children may be walking home from school or a project are requests for assistance, bribery with something cute and cuddly like a puppy or a kitten, something sweet to eat - even money in some cases. Fake emergencies the child doesn't know about - all of these are tools used by abductors to lure a child into feeling safe about following the actions of this person. Teach your children "code words" - perhaps related to their favorite or first toy - so that they know this person has to know the code words - even in an emergency.
DNA Safeguarding parties happen all over the "affluent" neighborhoods, but Safeguarding your Child's DNA should not be considered a luxury - rather just another step using today's most up to date technology to protect your children. Call the DNA Lady and ask about hosting a DNA Safeguarding Party More importantly is to have a discussion with your children about stranger abductions and what he or she can do to avoid such a situation.
