Trust Your Intuition.
Looking back, it’s easy to see why I said no to Bob’s many requests to take my son away from my care. But what about that first time? Or the second? What if I had allowed him to just take my son for a walk around the block? Would it have opened the door to future interactions? Would I have let my guard down after one experience turned out okay? Could my own child have been a victim of abuse?
The what-ifs are chilling.
But I didn’t say yes. I didn’t allow that door to be opened because from day one my mother’s intuition said, “Uh-uh. Hold your son close.”
Of course I can’t be certain of Bob’s motives, but I’ll be forever grateful for the feelings that screamed, trust your intuition that compelled me to keep my toddler in my care so that I never had to wonder about what had gone on beyond my view.
Parents, trust your intuition. If it tells you to steer clear of a person or situation, there might be a reason for it.
Maybe you won’t find out until years later. Maybe you’ll never find out. But your child is your treasure, and you always have the right to say no.
Talk to Your Children.
Since my son was only 2 years old at the time of our experience, I couldn’t offer much verbal guidance about potential threats, but I did tell him long before the evidence came into the light that I did not want him to go with Mr. Bob. He could say hello or give him a high-five, but if Mr. Bob asked him to go somewhere he should stay with mom.
Now that my children are older, we are working to educate them about boundaries in order to prevent sexual abuse by adults, or even by other children.
We also talk to them about darkness in the world. They are aware that some people are mentally ill in ways that compel them to harm others. And we don’t always know who is unsafe or safe until much later on.
