Have to teach "Stranger danger"

We started this "preventing sexual abuse' program in the religon class I teach (Why this is part of CCD I don't know) but I started yesterday and it was really difficult.

The kids had to watch this disturbing video of all of the ways adults could lure them "Help me find my lost dog", "I'll pay you $50 to be part of a 'say no to drugs video' we're shooting in my van", etc. There was even one where a kids uncle sneaks into his tent on a camping trip

And I was charged with discussing this with my first graders, whoa re surprisingly savvy. The kids didn't quite get the uncle part (thank god) but they did get he was up to something bad (the creepy music was enough).

One girl said "they could try to rape you"

I also had to talk to them about how no one can touch them in their "bathing suit zone." It's suipposed to be a few minutes of every class for a few weeks but it took up my entire class, and it was really difficult. I didn't want to scare the kids, but I had to teach the material.

Anyway just thought I'd share because it was an experience I wasn't quite prepared for. Though the kids were pretty savvy and knew not to talk to strangers or let someone trick you.

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

Wow that is a real eye opener to hear a first grader talk like that. I guess on one hand its good they understand the danger, but I still find it upsetting.
I remember when my mom had to teach it to 6th graders and her finding it difficult.
GOOD JOB!!

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

I had to go over that stuff when I taught kindergarten, and I found that althought the kids "knew" the right answers (don't go with a stranger, etc.), when we role-played it, most of them really didn't know what to do. I pretended I was a random grownup and told them various things - I have candy, there's a puppy over here, your mom told me to come pick you up, why don't you come to my car, and several of them said no at first, but if I asked a second or third time, they were like, "Well, ok!" and they ALWAYS told me their names, how old they were, where they lived, etc. when asked

So that's an idea for you, try role playing in case you need to teach it again in the future - that'll give them concrete examples of how they should handle it. You could ask a friend or another teacher to do it with you too.

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

It's so sad that this has become part of the teaching program nowadays

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

What a difficult subject to teach! I really wonder why that 1st grader knows about rape...that is not typical or appropriate for a child of that age.

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

I can't even tell you how absolutely petrified I am of this.

Seeing those 20/20 interviews where the parents watch their kids walk away with some stranger at the playground as they're being interviewed saying "my kid would never go with a stranger"...rips my heart out.

I have a 1st grader & I'm floored that one would use the word rape. Every parent tries to teach their kid differently. I think with molestation, it's more often a relative or person that they "like" & don't want to see get in trouble. I think saying the cutting off their hands thing isn't the way to go for this very reason. Not that I wouldn't want to cut up the body of ANYONE who did it to my child - or anyone else's child for that matter.

Re: Have to teach "Stranger danger"

Posted by JessInCA

I had to go over that stuff when I taught kindergarten, and I found that althought the kids "knew" the right answers (don't go with a stranger, etc.), when we role-played it, most of them really didn't know what to do. I pretended I was a random grownup and told them various things - I have candy, there's a puppy over here, your mom told me to come pick you up, why don't you come to my car, and several of them said no at first, but if I asked a second or third time, they were like, "Well, ok!" and they ALWAYS told me their names, how old they were, where they lived, etc. when asked

So that's an idea for you, try role playing in case you need to teach it again in the future - that'll give them concrete examples of how they should handle it. You could ask a friend or another teacher to do it with you too.