What Kids Should Know About Kidnappings
While kids from a young age should be taught they should never talk to strangers, many parents are wondering what kids should know about kidnappings. You want them to be safe, but at the same time, you do not want to hinder their social development. The fact is that there really is a fine line between making them aware of crime and scaring them.
Between the ages of two and seven, you want to make sure that your child that he or she is only to talk to people they know. This is especially important for those in school, as they need to understand they are to only be picked up by their parents or someone you designate.
Children between seven and twelve should be assured that, if something were to happen, that a kidnapper would not want to hurt them and would only be trying to get money. Anything more than that, you could risk them trying to get away from someone and getting hurt. Of course, teenagers must know more about how they can keep themselves safe.
How much you tell your child about kidnappings will depend on their own level of maturity. The last thing you want to do is scare your child away from experiencing life to its fullest.