Are we over protecting??

Kris gave me an article out of his Wall Street Journal yesterday. It was about how we have taught our children never to go to men if they need help. In our effort to make sure that they are safe, we have started alienating men from childhood activities.

This is a result of the fact that most child predators are male. And as a mother, I would completely agree to do whatever it took to never have to have my child go through that. But some interesting and unplanned consequences are resulting.

Men in major numbers are no longer volunteering for things. They are afraid of being falsely accused of inappropriate behavior. Kris even mentioned that he worries about what people think when he is out with Caroline and walking while holding her hand.

Now, you might think that he is overreacting. But in the same article, there was a man eating dinner in an airport restaurant with his 5 year old daughter when a policeman approached him. He was questioned about what he was doing with her and why he was there. It turned out that someone walking past had reported him because they felt it was inappropriate.

I also wonder what we are teaching our kids when we tell them not to trust such a large group of people. We do not profile that way in other things, it would be prejudice.

I do not want anything bad to ever happen to my girls. But I need to teach them the skill to avoid and escape bad situation. I want them to have healthy relationships with men as children and adults. I hope that we can work toward that for all kids.