Commercials of Fear
I had a very disturbing experience this week which involved my daughter. It was the end of the day and we were both watching television together, before she headed off to bed.
That's when it happened. A very disturbing commercial came on. You have probably seen it by now, but I hope your children haven't. It was a actor, portraying a soccer coach, who talks about how you, the parent, don't realize how he is sexually molesting your child every time he drives the child home.
This commercial is designed for one purpose, and one purpose only. To inflame a parents worst possible fear. A missing or molested child. Please don't let this type of advertising affect how you teach your children to be safe. Please don't let these "terror tactic's" make you or your children afraid.
My greatest fear, is that this type of advertising will stop parents and kids from having educated and meaningful conversations about staying safe. Teaching your kids to be safe should always be a pleasant "give and take" conversation, without scare tactics, threats or horror stories.
This information is available for FREE! I know of over 15 outstanding sites, that will give you information, answer any question and give you the tools you may need, and they won't ask for money to do so.
So keep talking to your kids, have fun doing it, and leave the horror to Stephen King.
As we all know, our kids wouldn't have gotten in the car with the soccer coach, unless he knew the "family secret password" and our kids wouldn't have kept a abuse/molesting secret from us, because we have taught them it's not their fault and it's wrong for ANY adult to tell them to keep a secret from their parents!
Steven Baird