DumbSwede's Journal: Childhood's End

In wake of the seeming endless string of child abductions in Florida recently, Fox has been running a cautionary news report on the ease of strangers enticing children into accompany them. Watching the demonstrator tricking a child into following him in an excerpt from a training video was creepy to say the least. It certainly demonstrated the care parents should take in safe guarding their children.

The trouble is I couldn't watch this demonstration without thinking it provided not only an example of how to prevent abductions, but possibly also how to perpetrate them. I worry the number of children saved from harm by Fox announcing there is a training video available might not exceed the number of lunatics inspired by seeing how easy tricking a child can be -- lunatics who might seek out the tape for training opposite of that intended. Am I now guilty also by bringing this subject up for discussion, and possibly giving someone ideas? Dare I fault Fox for possibly being irresponsible?

From my own childhood I remember dozens of times adults, especially seniors, might have had an unsolicited interaction with a friend or myself. Interactions like benign conversation, advice, aid, or the occasionally reprimand for borderline delinquent behavior. Have we entered an age when an adult, any adult, should avoid helping a crying child, or avoid warning one away from a hazardous area?

I roamed our neighborhood freely from the age of seven. Was this irresponsible of my parents to have allowed, or have times changed? Have times really changed or have we just grown more afraid? We won't ever be able to protect all children at all times no matter how cautious we are. Don't get me wrong, I'm not proposing children shouldn't be warned about the dangers of unwanted attention from strangers, but should we make them so scared they shy away from all social contact with unknown adults? Maybe we should, I don't know. It would seem that something is being lost, a type of innocence we use to cherish. There used to be an unstated social contract between seniors and children, is it now gone?

I wish I had answers instead of just questions.

Times have changed

[Frisky070802]

My own sense is that it's a more dangerous world out there for children than 20-30 years ago. I wish I understood why.