How many times have we seen or read the reports of another child being abducted having fallen in the hands of a depraved criminal? This horror repeats itself over and over again across big and small towns all across the world.
The wonderment and joys of parenting are a blessing that those who experience it can only relate to.
I remember my late father telling me repeatedly how "you won't understand till you're a parent ".
The sacrifices are many, the rollercoaster ride of changing diapers, and fatigue from endless nights awake, are universal.
A good parents love for their child can only be explained as otherworldly.
No where do we experience such an overwhelming level of regard and protection than that "protection mechanism" we feel as parents.
Now imagine through some cruel fate, your child..
..
the one you have loved and nurtured..
...
winding up in the wrong hands.
The pain and helplessness words cannot do justice to.
Unfortunately , child predators are amongst us.
They don't don masks and look like a character out of a Wes Craven novel; they are sometimes the people you see worshipping at church or teaching your children.
The point is they look like you and I..
...
sometimes ultra normal.
Some of the more notorious abusers and murderers fit this description.
Think Jeffrey Dahmer and the evils that were perpetrated by this VERY unassuming looking young man.
More recently, the "BK Killer"; who was a prominent member of his church, and had a loving wife and family who adored him.
He was a respected and vital cog in his community.
The lesson here is vigilance! We as parents can never let our guard down! It almost borders on paranoia! I know it is a sad state to live this way but we cannot completely rely on the different law enforcement legislation that has helped alleviate some of this despicable behavior from going on to protect our kids.
There are now laws that alert us when a child predator is in our community.
But even so a Florida child this past year was murdered right across the street from her home.
The man buried her alive with her doll! He was supposedly "just another neighbor".
The late Polly Klass was taken right from her bedroom! As an avid watcher of "America's Most Wanted" I often think of the pain and anguish John Walsh has had to endure knowing his poor son was beheaded.
Malls, stores, parks, playgrounds are all breeding grounds for the most virulent of stalkers.
In fact , John Walsh's son was abducted when his wife was shopping at the mall and let their son roam for no more than a minute.
Many companies have tried to come up with devices to further insure the safety of their children.
Safety harnesses or leashes have proliferated.
Some better and more aesthetically pleasing than others! The ironic thing is some people find them offensive..
..
about 10% of the people who see them.
I've heard "I'll never put my kid on a leash".
My thought is always "I'll bet John Walsh wishes his son had one on".
The job of a parent is to protect their child at all costs! Thye appear to value vanity over the safekeeping of their kids! The world we live in has become a very scary place for children and parents.
Keep your eyes open and anticipate all possibilties so you can best protect your child.
If your child is between 1-3 years old I would adviseexploring more extreme measures to protect them, including child harnesses.
To good parenting!