Empower Kids to Be Safer, Not Sheltered

by Sarah and Ryan Loyd 

The recent news about a teenage girl who said she was attacked by men while she was walking to school was shocking to many parents, to be sure. I have no doubt that for many of them, the immediate reaction was to drive their kids to and from school the next day, just in case.

As it turns out, the girl recanted most of her story, and police have called off the investigation. But I hope that Austin parents, instead of throwing their kids behind lock and key in response to the big "what if", instead teach their children about what they should do in such a situation.

I asked Lenore Skenazy, a nationally-syndicated columnist and the author of the book Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe Self-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts with Worry, what she thought about the situation and how parents can prepare their kids to deal with such a situation.

Skenazy, the so-called "worst mom in America" for giving her own child the chance to ride the subway alone in their home of New York City (but with proper preparation and adequate fare money) offers several tips.  She says that parents need to teach children to be familiarized with the neighborhood.  Skenazy also says to teach them to ask strangers for help if they are in trouble.  "Since most people are NOT predators, they will help rather than hurt your child," she told the Austin Citysphere.

"Teach them they can scream, kick and run away from anyone bothering them."  She also says that teaching kids basic self-defense isn't a bad idea.

Skenazy also advises parents to make sure they have good communication with their kids so that if anything does happen, children will be more willing to come forward.  "Teach them ... that they CAN tell you if anything 'bad' happens (or is attempted) and that you won't be angry at them.  You're on their side.  Open lines of communication keep kids safer from the FAR more common threats of abuse at the hands of someone they know (a family member or family friend)."

For more on empowering kids to be safe, check out Skenazy's Free Range Kids blog or find her book online.

When events like this happen, parents should not freak out; instead, prepare them for the road ahead and teach them how to handle themselves.  You can't lock them up because they eventually grow up.  Then what?   Skenazy practices what she preaches, which earned her the worst mom in America title by the media.  Parents used to let their children go to the bus stop without a second thought.  Kids used to ride their bikes down the street or to the market by themselves.  What happened to that?

It's true: the world may not be as simple as it once was.  But responsible parenting and smart thinking by kids is the best parenting a mom and dad can give to their child(ren).  New parents ourselves, we want to protect our child no matter what.  But the old adage, "Give the man a fish, he eats for a day.  Teach a man how to fish and he eats for life" is very true here.

What do you think?  Let us know.