This is basically a distress call. It is addressed to ANYONE, ANYWHERE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE OF A CHILD.
Are you AWARE of what the child you are entrusted to care for is doing RIGHT THIS SECOND?
IF NOT- WHY???????????
If they are supposed to be outside playing, ARE THEY WHERE YOU TOLD THEM THEY COULD GO? IF NOT, WHY AREN'T YOU OUT THERE LOOKING FOR THEM?????
If they are in the care of a babysitter, do you KNOW AND TRUST that babysitter?
If they are supposed to be at school, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR SCHOOL'S POLICIES ARE ON ABSENTEEISM? IS THAT POLICY BEING FOLLOWED CORRECTLY?
If they are supposed to be at a school function, a church function, lessons of some type, or any other activity that they are away from you, their guardian and sole providers, do you KNOW that they are all right?
Do you fully, 100% TRUST the person, or persons that they are with?
If you DON'T- then WHY is your child, or your children, with that person, or persons??
I know, some of you are sitting there reading this, thinking, this writer is full of crap. You're thinking, there is NO way possible to KNOW exactly where your child is, what they are doing every second of every day. But- and I won't be the first to say this, to you, and everyone else out there responsible for the care of a child, and I won't be the last: SURE- YOU MAY BE RIGHT- YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE THERE 24-7, BUT: Even if you can NOT physically be there, all the time, to INSURE that your child is safe, you CAN take every possible precaution to HELP insure that child's safety. AND IF YOU DON'T- THEN YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELF TO BLAME IN THE LONG RUN.
These things include simple items like these:
Set up a code phrase with your child. This is an age-old trick that has, in the past, helped avoid tragedies. For instance, if your child knows this code phrase, he is LESS likely to willingly get into a vehicle of a stranger, he is LESS likely to be lured away holding some strangers hand. Only you, your child, and specific other caretakers should KNOW this phrase. In some cases, parents take the time to CHANGE the code phrase on a monthly, or yearly basis, to prevent anyone else from finding out, either accidentally, or by the child slipping up and letting it out to the wrong people.
This tip is from the Polly Klaas Foundation:
The best thing about the "What If…" game is that you can adapt it to your own life situation, and you can play it with children of all ages. For example, when you walk into a grocery store with your child, you can ask, "What if you couldn't find me, who would you ask for help?"Going through the exercise of actually choosing the right person to ask for help is an excellent way to establish brain patterns that can kick in if they are ever needed. Scientific research shows that our brains work by pattern recognition. When an extremely frightening situation happens, human brains sort through their database for a "script" of actions taken previously. The brain that has more "scripts" can respond more quickly than a brain that has to process never practiced information. That's why schools hold fire drills. Each time the kids get out of the building in a safe orderly fashion during a fire drill, their brains remember what they did and why. Actually going through fire drill practice is much more effective than only being told where the exits are and what to do in case of an emergency.
If you are a teacher, a babysitter, a neighbor, a Sunday School teacher, a clerk at a convenience store that knows your regular customers, for crying out loud- KEEP YOUR EYES AND YOUR EARS OPEN! PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!
If you SEE or HEAR anything from the children you are accustomed to seeing on a regular basis that you KNOW is not normal, DO SOMETHING about it! STOP SITTING ON YOUR DUFF AND ACTING LIKE YOU ARE DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND- TAKE THE RIGHT ACTION-
YOUR ACTION OR PHONECALL MAY SAVE A LIFE!!!!! OR, AT THE VERY LEAST- HELP PREVENT ANOTHER DAY OF PAIN OR SUFFERING FOR AN INNOCENT, HELPLESS CHILD- !
In this world today, of lightening fast communication possibilities, there is simply NO EXCUSE for another child to go missing, or for another child to be abused, or for another child to be murdered. NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER!!
Perhaps it is time that we, as adults, finally wake up and realize that the children of today, no matter WHAT country they live in, are the FUTURE OF OUR WORLD. What is done to them, what memories they have to deal with, what pain they have to bear, or, if they are fortunate - the blessings and happiness they have to remember, is what is going to INFLUENCE their actions in the future! WE- as their caregivers in whatever form we take- are RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT! Do you REALLY want to sit back and keep your mouth shut, and let another idiot harm another child? It's on your conscience if you do, YOU are the one who will have to live with it, knowing you DIDN'T do anything to help- IF DOING NOTHING is what you choose to do!!!!!
The single most important thing to do today, as in years and decades and centuries past- is simply to take the time to TEACH your children. TEACH them right from wrong, TEACH them what TO do and what NOT TO do, instill in them the knowledge that will ultimately keep them safe.
A little common sense goes a LONG way, in today's world, just as in yesterday's world. Yes, times may be different, but the basic fundamentals of parenting, teaching, caring for our world's children has never changed.
In this writer's opinion, it's not the basic everyday values that have changed, it is the number of people today that practice them.
If we ALL make a concentrated effort to abide by the RIGHT things to do, (yes, this includes HAVING A CONSCIENCE), then there won't BE anymore Caylee Anthony, Haleigh Cummings, Kyron Harmon, Skylar Newton cases.
Together- WE can make this STOP.
Polly Klaas: The Murder of America's Child
Polly Klaas: The Murder of America's Child
Polly Klaas: The Murder of America's Child
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