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.there are creepy people in all walks of life and one can never be too safe..[/quote]
A few years ago my son (16 at the time) wanted to stop off at a mall on our way somewhere else. I decided to go in and just people watch instead of waiting for him in the car.
After a while I saw my son coming my way in the distance. Right behind him was a guy I can only describe as a hustler - seriously. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as he approached my son. There is no question he was trying to solicit my kid! Well, I was enraged. I immediately jumped up and covered the distance between us in no time, shouting out in an authoritative voice - get the hell away from my kid, while holding my phone to call 911 if I had to.
This guy immediately backs off, throws his hands in the air and and says, Oh, I didn't know he wasn't alone! He all but admitted he was looking for kids alone without anyone to see what he was up to by that statement.
Ugh, I was so furious and disgusted.
Believe me people, or talk to some cops if you don't want to believe me, these predators are just waiting for you to let your naive kids out at the mall, you are doing them a favor.
Last edited by mrstewart; 02-22-2010 at 05:45 PM..
That is scary! There were two sisters (in their teens)from our neighborhood growing up who disappeared and were never found...they were walking at the local mall...
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains
A few years ago my son (16 at the time) wanted to stop off at a mall on our way somewhere else. I decided to go in and just people watch instead of waiting for him in the car.
After a while I saw my son coming my way in the distance. Right behind him was a guy I can only describe as a hustler - seriously. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as he approached my son. There is no question he was trying to solicit my kid! Well, I was enraged. I immediately jumped up and covered the distance between us in no time, shouting out in an authoritative voice - get the hell away from my kid, while holding my phone to call 911 if I had to.
This guy immediately backs off, throws his hands in the air and and says, Oh, I didn't know he wasn't alone! He all but admitted he was looking for kids alone without anyone to see what he was up to by that statement.
Ugh, I was so furious and disgusted.
Believe me people, or talk to some cops if you don't want to believe me, these predators are just waiting for you to let your naive kids out at the mall, you are doing them a favor.
there are creepy people in all walks of life and one can never be too safe..
There are creepy people no matter what the kids are doing. When kids are taught to be discerning about who they talk to, and understand that they are not to be alone in remote areas, they are pretty much safe.
Kids are no less safe in the mall than they are in a park. IMO.
Last edited by mrstewart; 02-22-2010 at 05:45 PM..
There are creepy people no matter what the kids are doing. When kids are taught to be discerning about who they talk to, and understand that they are not to be alone in remote areas, they are pretty much safe.
Kids are no less safe in the mall than they are in a park. IMO.
I don't let my kids go to the park alone either but I am pretty protective.
A few years ago my son (16 at the time) wanted to stop off at a mall on our way somewhere else. I decided to go in and just people watch instead of waiting for him in the car.
After a while I saw my son coming my way in the distance. Right behind him was a guy I can only describe as a hustler - seriously. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as he approached my son. There is no question he was trying to solicit my kid! Well, I was enraged. I immediately jumped up and covered the distance between us in no time, shouting out in an authoritative voice - get the hell away from my kid, while holding my phone to call 911 if I had to.
This guy immediately backs off, throws his hands in the air and and says, Oh, I didn't know he wasn't alone! He all but admitted he was looking for kids alone without anyone to see what he was up to by that statement.
Ugh, I was so furious and disgusted.
Believe me people, or talk to some cops if you don't want to believe me, these predators are just waiting for you to let your naive kids out at the mall, you are doing them a favor.
Which is why my kids go with a group. They get mad a me that I won't let them go places alone but I just point out all the abductions that happen to girls walking alone. I tell them it's not them I don't trust. It's the perverts out there.
Depends on where you live. For example, one of our malls has movie theaters, glow in the dark golf, race cars, and bungee----all things MEANT to specifically attract teenagers to the mall. There are plans for an indoor water park in the near future.
The teens in my area spend lots of money while they are at the mall with their friends. They eat and shop, buy close, video games, etc. Where I live, very few parents would drop their children off at the mall without money to spend. The entire purpose of going to the mall is to spend time with friends shopping, eating, and entertainment.
The malls want the teens there since they spend lots of money on all of those things. Otherwise, the malls wouldn't be building attractions with the specific intention of attracting teenagers.
You shouldn't call others clueless simply because your malls aren't safe. The malls in my area are very safe.
Going to the mall with money to play video games, see a movie and eat is not "hanging out". When I refer to the kids who hang out at the mall all day I mean just that. Hang out with no reason to be there. My 16 year old is allowed to go see a movie, go the arcade, shop or eat at the mall with a friend, but not to just hang out there all day with no money and no purpose.
The kids who hang out at the mall all day are the troubled kids (around here at least). That's why mine are allowed to go if they have a reason to be there but not just to hang out. They are way better off hanging out here as I will feed them for free.
I don't let my kids go to the park alone either but I am pretty protective.
How old are they? We are talking about teens, not little guys. My son will have a drivers license in a few months (he's 16 now). It is no longer developmentally appropriate for him to need my presence all day, every day.
And truly, if you know police officers and other law enforcement folks, they will tell you what a bad idea this is. Really bad.
Predators like to go where the kids are and malls are furtile territory because of clueless parents.
It amazes me how people will dump off their kid at a mall to be babysat by whoever they think is supposed to be watching them. Not only that but the way they allow very young girls to dress to hang out at the mall all day is asking for trouble.
It amazes me how people will dump off their kid at a mall to be babysat by whoever they think is supposed to be watching them. Not only that but the way they allow very young girls to dress to hang out at the mall all day is asking for trouble.
If they're old enough to be dropped off at the mall, they don't need babysitting. If you're referring to my references to being in public, those are not about anyone else baby sitting for me. They're about my child being in a public place. That alone restricts behaviors. While I trust my children, I'm not sure I trust their friends to public places are better IMO.
From the time I was about 10, my mom dropped us off, every Saturday afternoon either at the movies or the library (didn't have malls nearby then). I think it's good for teens to spend time away from their parents in public environments. You learn, quickly, what behaviors are acceptable and which are not.
Not true....they may have a crush, an attraction...etc...but at 14 to have such a serious thing going on...it's too young. As you can see....they cannot handle this type of thing at 14.
I wouldn't allow my 14 year old to "hang out" at the mall without some supervision...I've been to the mall when crowds of teens are "hanging" out...and it's not pretty....our malls now have a curfew for teens...they are not allowed to be in the mall after a certain time unless they are with an adult...as it should be.
Before anyone assumes that I'm a drill sargeant when it comes to my girls...lol...it's not that way, I'm a single Mom, and my girls and I are best friends...I think it's teaching them self respect very early in life that prevents these things.
Someone who is 14 is still a child.
Have a long talk with your daughter and find out what her interests truely are...maybe she would like guitar lessons, or to take an art class...summer's coming, maybe she would like to start babysitting for spending money.....good luck....I know it's hard, but well worth the hassle in the long run.
You may be different but......My kids are grown up now with kids of their own now.....A couple of years ago just for the fun of it I asked them what they had done growing up that Mom and I didn't know about....Man, was I surprised at what they had done as teenagers....LOL....
It got me to ask my step dad if he and mom knew about the car I had at 15 years old and parked a few blocks from the house...He asked what car? LOL
Point is we did and they still do things we and our parents know nothing about..
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There were two sisters (in their teens)from our neighborhood growing up who disappeared and were never found...they were walking at the local mall...
