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JAN 28, 2019
Minnesota parents wonder how to react after terrifying Jayme Closs kidnapping
It’s nearly impossible for parents to not have a visceral fear reaction to incidents like Closs’ abduction, said Bill Doherty, professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota.
“The first law of parenting in our minds is: Keep them safe,” he said.
And the way our brains process information can exacerbate these hard-wired worries. Mental shortcuts cause us to remember the most sensational incidents, said Lenore Skenazy, author of the book “Free-Range Kids.”
As an example, Skenazy said, after learning that Closs’ alleged abductor first spotted her at a school bus stop, our brains tend to associate her shocking story with children’s safety at bus stops, instead of focusing on the millions of kids who take buses every day without incident.
Statistically speaking, the risk of a child being abducted by a stranger is exceedingly low: There are just over 100 stereotypical kidnappings in the U.S. each year.
Children are far more likely to be abducted or harmed by someone they know. About 90 percent of adults who abuse children are family members or acquaintances. Everyday hazards, including car accidents and falls, pose the greatest risk to young people and are their leading cause of injury and death.
Minnesota parents wonder how to react after terrifying Jayme Closs kidnapping
It’s nearly impossible for parents to not have a visceral fear reaction to incidents like Closs’ abduction, said Bill Doherty, professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota.
“The first law of parenting in our minds is: Keep them safe,” he said.
And the way our brains process information can exacerbate these hard-wired worries. Mental shortcuts cause us to remember the most sensational incidents, said Lenore Skenazy, author of the book “Free-Range Kids.”
As an example, Skenazy said, after learning that Closs’ alleged abductor first spotted her at a school bus stop, our brains tend to associate her shocking story with children’s safety at bus stops, instead of focusing on the millions of kids who take buses every day without incident.
Statistically speaking, the risk of a child being abducted by a stranger is exceedingly low: There are just over 100 stereotypical kidnappings in the U.S. each year.
Children are far more likely to be abducted or harmed by someone they know. About 90 percent of adults who abuse children are family members or acquaintances. Everyday hazards, including car accidents and falls, pose the greatest risk to young people and are their leading cause of injury and death.
