Stranger – Danger; Wise Counsel

Cherish Perrywinkle's life ended at 8 years

There was a tragedy this past weekend which highlights the fact of protection our children (to the best of our ability) without succumbing to ‘fear’.  The incident was the abduction of a little eight year old girl (Cherish Perrywinkle) from inside a local Walmart, by a recently released ‘registered sex offender’ (May 31, 2013).  You can read the details of the story (Here).

For those of us who have children in our care, it is direly important that we safeguard them as much as we can without being smothering and paranoid.  There are a few tips that may help keep more children from being statistics.

1. When children travel to and from school, make sure they walk with another child.  Have them be aware of their surroundings and to “come straight home”.
2. Never talk with ‘strangers’.  A stranger is someone who comes up to the child when a parent or guardian is NOT around.  Children will have to be taught who to trust: i.e. teachers, caregivers, and some authority figures.  If they have to submit to someone in uniform, make sure another person knows about where the child is going.  This can be real ‘ify’.
3. Establish a “password” with your child that only you and they know.  This is in case of an emergency and someone, other that you or your spouse, has to pick them up.  This should not be used often.
4. Sometimes, even some family members should be scrutinized.  Be aware of relatives with whom you’re not familiar.
5. Watch naming your children in pictures, on social networks.  A predator will take your child’s name and try to lure them away to a car, house or other place and then take advantage of them.  If a child hears their name, they may have the false security that the person knows them.  Same thing with having your children wear their names on apparel.  Don’t give a stranger any extra information that they can use.

As parents, we must protect the precious property that God has given to us.  It’s our duty.  Child endangerment has been a concern to this Examiner for a while, but the problem still exists and it's something that ‘we the people’ should continue to address while we continue to “Do Something!”  Don't forget to cover them in prayer daily.  It may take a village to raise a child, but in today's society, you've got to know those who live and walk in your village.

Below are some articles that will refresh your memory of “Little Children Lost”.

• Sexual Predators in Florida
• Protecting children during troubled times
• Children are our responsibility
• Registered sex offender is behind pulpit while children are not allowed inside
• Somer Thompson's killer found
• Somer Thompson killer is finally sentenced, but not to death
• Cell phone pictures could cause an intrusion

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