How to Keep Your Child Safe from Being Abducted

A parent's worst nightmare. A child goes missing and you can't find them. You feel your chest tighten, your heart has somehow lodged itself somewhere between your teeth and your Adam's apple. What do you do? Where do you go? Some of us parents have lost sight of our child for just a few seconds. Then miraculously that little peanut shows up at your side looking up at your panicked eyes.

I've taken that sigh of relief before. But for those first few seconds, panic reigns. Sadly, some parents don't get to take that sigh of relief. For them, that nightmare is reality. There are things that we, as parents, can do. We can either wrap our children up in bubble wrap, put a fence around them or we can make them aware of dangers that out there in the world. I have a son that is so friendly it's frightening. He will say hello to anyone and not think twice about it. He's the one that I constantly tell not to speak to people that you don't know. I have tested their vocal cords and I can say, proudly, that boy can scream. Recently, I found out though that it isn't just strangers that they should be aware of. There are people that he feels he would "know". Just from seeing them at the bus stop, the park, or even Wal-Mart. Those are the ones that I warn my kids about.

Over 85% of children victimized know the person. They feel like they are friends with them. These people will seduce your child. They will befriend them. Then before you know it, they get in a car with the person. Just writing that fills me with terror. I've taught my child that these people don't look like monsters. They look just like me, your dad, your uncle. They'll be nice they won't scare you. I've also told my children to listen to that voice in their minds. To listen when it says no.