The world is a scary place in this generation. Perhaps it has always been scary, but in the
1950s, it did not seem so.
“Baby Boomers” all share stories of the freedom we had in
riding our bikes from the house to remote places, returning only for
meals. The neighbors knew us and we knew
them. We also knew who the strangers
were.
Technology gave us radios and televisions, which opened a
world view known by our parent after a horrible war. Documentaries showed us what happened beyond
the streets of our town. We didn’t know,
we just hadn’t known.
Recently my daughter shared a video that details
perhaps the scariest and frightening of all the world has shown us. Here it is:
In all the scariest experiences seen in our time on earth, this
is the closest to home.
So many things have changed which have made this a more dangerous world, but I believe there have always been bad people and bad behavior, they just weren't on 24/7 news.
ReplyDeleteScary people have always lurked in society, true. We are just more aware, with the news.
Delete700 a day? Damn, that is disgusting. Anyone to abduct a kid should rot in their own special deep dark hole.
ReplyDeleteThe world as always been screwed up though
I wonder if 700 a day might apply to more nations than UK?
DeleteThat was scary. Those kids went with him without hesitation.
ReplyDeleteThings have really changed. Even in the 70's, my brother and I rode our bikes all over town and my mother never worried about us.
Without hesitation!!
DeleteThat was horrifying...and so so easy.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it though?!!
DeleteThey went with him so easy. Scary
ReplyDeletePuppy, pet, or candy--those are great hooks to catch a child.
DeleteVery scary. Yeah.... when I was young, kids were safe to be out alone. Who would steal a kid as it would only mean another mouth to feed and everyone was already starving.
ReplyDeleteWho indeed?
DeleteOh Susan, this has brought tears to my eyes. Breaks my heart. I too, long for the long days of innocence. Our generation wasn't entirely free of fear (we had atomic bomb test drills and nuclear war hanging over our heads) but we were definitely free to roam and run and play without adult supervision.
ReplyDeleteThose days did have the doom hanging over us; I remember those bomb tests well..
DeleteThat was tough to see. I think a quarter million abductions a year is overstated, but the lesson is the same, one child or a quarter million. That said, two grandchildren live in an inner city, marginally gentrified neighborhood. They ride their bikes to destinations, cross a major highway at the traffic lights (we hope) to get to Lake Erie. They are thirteen and eleven. They each carry a phone. Their parents are free rangers. I don't know I could do it, although I brought my daughters up ride bikes through a major city. One even was stopped by the state highway patrol and told it was illegal to ride a bike on a state highway. Probably is, but it was a very citified highway through town. My other daughter used US 20 to peddle ten miles a day to her summer volunteer job.
ReplyDeleteSomehow it makes me feel more at ease if two or more older children are bicycling together. Maybe that is a false hope.
DeleteThe innocence is gone and bad things increase daily. So very scary and sad.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the prevalence of PlayStation violent games has numbed the flight/fight response?
DeleteIt is very, very scary indeed. Far too easy. And something I find even more disturbing is that stranger danger is less than the danger from people they/we know well...
ReplyDeleteSince we are near Mexico, divorced parents fighting over custody often grab their children and head south.
DeleteThis was a very sobering video. Unbelievable how those kids went with him so easily, distracted and swayed by the puppy. We have to watch our little ones so very closely.
ReplyDeleteAnd we need to be vigilant when it comes to any small child we see alone.
DeleteTimes change. Perceptions change. I have a feeling it was always around, we just are more aware of it now. Which can be a good thing.
ReplyDeleteAware and alert.
DeleteDefinitely a frightening video. I was almost abducted as a child. I can only hope my kids have listened to what I've said and can react as well as I did. I feel more confident about my son, as he wants nothing to do with people. My daughter scares me, because she just has so much wonder at the world. And, yes, I coach them both equally. You never know what anyone will do in an emergency situation until it happens, and that's the truly scary part as a parent. We can only do so much.
ReplyDeleteWhat horrific memory!
DeleteWe can only do so much...and hope that our children stay aware.
I saw this on TV the other day, it's terrifying what can happen. I am so glad I don't have kids to worry about.
ReplyDeleteNow our kids have kids and this video scared me...I can see my gr-daughters in this situation. God protect the little children...
DeleteThat's so scary. I'm wondering if the kids might have been more reluctant if a puppy wasn't involved, but the man was very friendly and in a playground environment, most kids will talk to anybody.
ReplyDeleteWe saw a similar experiment on TV a while ago, several years now I think, where children walked away from shopping centres and schools with a stranger. "your mum sent me..."
Children want to trust everyone.
Delete