When teaching 1st graders (sweet little Faye's age) a few days ago, the entire class was all agreeing, "Pinky Promise", that they would never,
ever go with a stranger, or even help a stranger "look for a lost puppy", etc. (It's the *least* I can do, to try to help our youngest, most vulnerable ones to be safe from... "creeps".)
Right after we did the "Pinky Promise", all kinds of hands went up; nearly every student had a story to tell of adult strangers who came up to them, trying to lure them away, some of them, even with their parent nearby (and often these parents were... on their cell phones talking, and totally not watching their children -- this, directly from the 1st graders themselves). One student reported that he was at a local park last fall, and a stranger (male) came up to him, offering him a whole bag of Nerds (candy). The student's mom was nearby, but... said to the young boy, "Not to worry -- just a nice man..."
(Am just *shocked* at such a comment, and by a parent, too...) What's even worse: the
same strange adult saw the young boy again, and **again** offered him "free candy". Soo creepy, JMOO.
So hoping and praying that my repeated encouragements to these young children to
not accept candy/treats/free "anything" from strangers, and to
RUN away from them as *fast* as they can, will save a life -- maybe even many lives...
ETA: How can these sweet 1st graders not have a "hinky meter"? Have they never been told about "Stranger Danger"? How can we/those of us who know/interact with young children help them, I wonder?