Was This Mums Stranger Danger Message too 'Inappropriate'?

One mum has been described as being “OTT” and “inappropriate” for stranger danger message she shared with her eight-year-old son.

As the mum shared on BabyCentre it was her sons first sleep-over at a nearby hockey camp: “There’s going to be a few people we don’t personally know around and I’ve always been open with my kids about safety and trusting their gut instinct.

“I was standing with my friend in the dining room and kissing my son goodbye and I said to him ‘now, you’re going to be staying overnight and there will be lots of people you don’t know around.

“‘Make sure you trust your gut and if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable, touches your privates, does anything inappropriate, speaks inappropriately, makes you touch them or do anything inappropriate to them then you must stand your ground, say no, get away and call me right away’.

“He said okay, hugged me and headed out the door.”

“My friend was gobsmacked and said the way I said it was age-inappropriate (he’s almost 9) and I shouldn’t say things like that because then he will fear strangers.

“Personally, I don’t see any problems with it.,” she adds.

“We have discussed that not all strangers are dangerous but that we all need to make sure we are aware and prepared.

“He didn’t seem phased at all by what I said either.

“My mum used to say similar to me too, so I guess it’s a normal discourse for me Should I have worded it differently? Was I too blunt or graphic? Was it inappropriate?”

Many commented that while it was an important conversation to have, timing was something she really needed to consider

– “Woah that’s really OTT. It’s also offensive to the people running the camp that you’re openly saying you think it’s a possibility that it’ll happen to him so you feel the need to say it.”
– “It’s a conversation I would have prior to the event and in private, not as he’s about to go out the door. The timing was awful.”
Do you think it was too much?

Share your comments below.

We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.

24 Comments

- - Ellen said
  - 13 Aug 2018
    7:21 am
I totally agree with her message. It’s sad we have to do this talk with our kids, but we live in a sick world.
Personally I would have had this conversation at home, prior to dropping him off, but we’re all different and she might have just forgotten about it when still at home, in which case it’s fine to do it at the last moment.

- - Cookfromscratchmum said
  - 28 Jun 2018
    11:42 am
I would do the same and keep reminding kids don’t care about where and what time we live in a crazy world

- - mom67623 said
  - 28 Jun 2018
    9:19 am
I THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS DISCUSSION ALONE WITH CHILD BUT TOTALLY APROVE OF HER WORD AND ADVICE. SAD BUT TRUE i HAVE KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TOP POSITIONS WHO ARE PEDOPHILES! tHIS MUM LETTING HER CHILD TELL HER ANYTHING AND SHE WILL BELIEVE ND BE THER FOR HIM AND TAKE ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION. I AM SPEAKING AS SURVIVOR OF CHILD ABUSE UNDEALT WITH, iT WAS WHEN i WAS 45 AND WORING IN WELFARE I BURNT OUT AND MEMORIES CAME BACK. THEREFORE SEE NEED TO WARN CHILDREN AND GIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH IT IF PROBLEM OCCURS.

- - mom311671 said
  - 27 Jun 2018
    2:51 pm
Good On You Mum!! Hang your head high. This does come across as a reminder of an earlier discussion. And who cares of audience, if the person was offended (do they have something to hide?) My boys are much younger and I have this talk with them. We live in a sick world and it’s our responsibility to teach them self awareness and their surroundings.

- - mom111059 said
  - 27 Jun 2018
    11:51 am
I don’t blame her in this day and age for the warning. Just think she should have done it privately beforehand.

- - mom112217 said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    8:35 pm
She is the mother and protecting her child the best she can.

- - Staceylee101 said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    4:57 pm
No I think this is a bright idea to make your child aware of their surroundings and be mindful of who they talk to and how they interact with them.

- - mom90758 said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    2:55 pm
If she said these things to her child, I expect this wasn’t the first time she did it. I expect she was just reinforcing something they had already talked about.
- mom93821 replied
  
  27 Jun 2018 , 7:07 am
  Exactly – my thought process too – really feel like it was a reminder message.
- - LuckyMum said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    12:31 pm
I think the mum had the right idea making her son aware and enabling him to be aware of these things , but maybe not as he was walking out the door. Would have been better maybe at a time that he could have had some time to respond or ask questions .

- - mom160421 said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    11:41 am
I think this is a conversation that needs to take place in private and not so rushed so that children know exactly how to react if they feel uncomfortable.

- - mom114371 said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    11:25 am
It’s a conversation parents need to have with their children. Although it probably should have taken place in private.

- - littlehandsofmine said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    9:35 am
Would their child understand? I suppose it’s better to educate than to say, if you don’t feel comfortable because some children can’t distinguish this as yet.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    8:43 am
Probably should have had the conversation in private not in front of others, but unfortunately in this day an age, this conversation has to happen.

- - kyliecimen said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    7:46 am
A very Important message and something that needs to be talked about with your children……but I personally think that it’s a conversation that Is best had at home, not as you’re kissing the child goodbye and in front of others.

- - mom93821 said
  - 26 Jun 2018
    6:15 am
Maybe the conversation did occur earlier and this was a reminder conversation?