Anti-helicopter parenting can reinforce the confidence and tools children have to avoid kidnapping. But parents must play an active role in preparing children – especially those parents who want their kids to live free and apart from the always watchful eyes. It’s important that parents talk with them, practice with them and encourage them to avoid scenarios where strangers might take advantage of their innocence.

Letting your kids be free-range means preparing them for the dangers that lurk wherever they might end up. That’s the parents’ job.

I always thought that my kids were safe. As parents we teach our kids stranger danger. But these videos show why it’s important to explain what could happen, how easy it could happen. Your children can be taken away from you and hurt or killed. if they go away with someone they don’t know. Tell them that. Anti-helicopter parenting and kidnapping deterrence are complementary disciplines.

CHILD ABDUCTION (Social Experiment):

I thought that those almost 500,000 kids kidnapped every year was a number that wouldn’t affect me ever. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children there’s a child taken every 40 seconds. How many kids will be taken while you read this article?

Something that most individuals don’t realize is that the first 3 hours after the child is taken are the most critical. For any parent who goes through this major trauma, he or she knows it is hard to be calm. With that in mind it can take more than 2 hours for parents to convey all the information needed to police in order to help find your child.

I watched another video that touched my heart, and made me cry. I started looking at my parenting and how much I am actually conveying to my children. I have two teenage children boys and one elementary school girl. I asked one of my son’s if he remembers when he learned stranger danger. He told me that the earliest time he remembers is around 4 or 5. He stated that I was always drilling it into his head. I was more of a helicopter parent during those early years of my children’s life.

Fast forward to my daughter, I have taken a much more relaxed parenting style with her. We have been anti-helicopter and even free range, attachment parenting. I am truly wondering if she understands what stranger danger is, so I am showing her these videos and talking about how important it is to keep on guard and never go with a stranger. She says she knows not to go away with strangers. However, once you watch the video, you realize that when our kids are out playing it is instinct that they listen to.

Have you prepared your child with the best survival instincts from strangers? Anti-helicopter parenting and kidnapping don’t go hand-in-hand. Anti-helicopter parenting means preparing your child for the ultimate test.