Do your kids know what to do if a stranger tries to grab them? - AmericaNowNews.com

Are your kids stranger-savvy?

Would your child know what to do if someone tried to kidnap him or her?

After video circulated of a man in Georgia trying to grab a young girl, parents across the country started wondering what their own kids would do in that situation.

"I would probably scream, and then I would probably punch them and then kick them," said 8-year-old Isabelle Brown.

"Scream, and then if they grab a hold of me, just fight as much as I can," said 10-year-old Riley Pike.

They're important things for kids to know if ever faced with a stranger trying to grab them. But when and where do they learn these tactics?

"A long time ago we had an assembly about that, and I just knew it ever since then," said Pike.

"I kind of learned it since I was little, so in case a stranger ever really did take me, that's why I kind of learned it from my parents," said Davis.

"I think three is a good age," said Carrie Brown, Isabelle's mother.

Brown says the idea of someone taking one of her children is always in the back of her mind.

"I think about it all the time, especially when she goes outside by herself. I mean we live in a nice, safe neighborhood but again you just never know," she added.

"We do talk to them to make sure they know that they don't go home with anybody besides family or someone who is allowed to pick them up," said Jenny Moyers, an elementary school counselor.

Moyers says there's no set time to start talking about safety, but the earlier the better.

"I think you should get it in their heads as early as possible, because that way if it does happen, it's not caught them off guard," said Moyers.

"I don't think there's too early of a time to do that," added Police Officer Darin Hickey of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Hickey says the best solution isn't just to teach kids early, but also often.

"That's how kids learn," he said. "You teach them over and over, throwing a baseball over and over until it becomes muscle memory. Soon enough, they'll pick up on it."

"They're really matter-of-fact about it, especially the younger kids, because it's such a story," said Moyers. "It's not anything real to them."

"If somebody has grabbed them, obviously we're going to encourage them to kick, scream, yell, holler, do whatever is going to draw attention to yourself," said Hickey.

He also says one of the biggest things is to make sure your children know to be aware of their surroundings -- know who is near them, and always find an adult they trust if they feel unsafe.

Copyright 2012 America Now. All rights reserved.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities.
    A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities. The non-profit organizations end up with just pennies on the dollar raised through solicitation campaigns, and it's all legal. 
  • Every pet owner knows a dog can get into just about anything around the house. One woman found that out the hard way when her dog ate a bunch of grapes! Turns out, that's one of the most dangerous foods
    Every pet owner knows a dog can get into just about anything around the house. But these common snacks could be fatal for Fido.
  • Sometimes, smaller retailers charge a check-out fee -- or a "swipe" fee -- to use a credit card instead of cash.
    Sometimes, smaller retailers charge a check-out fee -- or a "swipe" fee -- to use a credit card instead of cash.
Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and America Now. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.