Tough Talks

I have always been a strong believer in talking to children early about serious issues and life.  I have already had "the talk" with Jennica and she is well aware of the kind of world that we live in.  After the events at my Zumba class this morning, I was really worked up over the issue of child abuse.  I decided it was time to sit down and have a talk with Orwin about watching out for suspicious people.

It is difficult to tell your child that there are truly ugly souls out there.  I would never want Orwin to lose his faith in humanity.  It's hard enough for him to relate to people.  For all of his likability, he can also be very shy and quiet.  Sometimes when I'm watching him with his playdates, it concerns me when he keeps to himself.  I'll even scoot him closer to his peers in order to try and initiate a connection to his fellow man.  But the point is, in this day in age, you can't really let your guard down.  Orwin is my precious angel.

So today, Orwin's daddy and I had a long discussion in order to make him more wary of the kind of people to watch out for.  I did some research and summarized Dr. Phil's list of the Characteristics of a Sexual Predator.  I made it clear that if he encounters someone who exhibits any of these signs, he should immediately report it to me and the nearest police authority:

1. Married
2. Close to the victim
3. Family Members
4. Intellectual
5. Sexually active
6. Helpful