How do I answer this?

[zara_backdog]

How on earth do I answer this?


DD who is nearly 10, asked me this question in light of all the recent stuff with Madeline McCann and also doing a safety awareness thing at school.

"Mum, what should I do if somebody does manage to snatch me- I know if someone tries I would fight , scream and stuff – but if they do manage to get me , should I try and run away or should I just be quite and hope they would not hurt me too much?"

She then added would I ever give up on her?

I tried to reassure her that she is a sensible girl and that she would be safe and that this would not happen, but she just said ‘What if it did?”.

She also added she knows what can happen as she looked up the words in her dictionary as the PC would not let her. ( Parental controls worked on the PC at least)

This left me lost for words!

[BoredBloke]

You should have said something along the lines that 'you wouldn't give up on her - not like her real mum and dad.'

[Menelaus]

Bite, scream and kick - in short, do anything to make the sickos life difficult.

[thelace]

You're doing the right thing, teaching her safety and reassuring her.

That's all you can do as a parent.

With regards to acquiesce of fight? Only you as a family can discuss that. For example is your DD strongish? Tomboyish? Willing to have a bit of rough and tumble with the other kids? Then bite, scream, kick, gouge, whatever is needed....

If more of the quiet type then whatever she feels upto doing. I'm no expert in this subject, but from what I've heard on the news (including one local over the weekend) then the ones who make as bigger nuisance of themselves as possible (especially in the early seconds) are the ones who put the scum off.

[FSM with Cheddar]

I think you said all the right things.

To directly answer her question, I would say: Do what ever you can to escape, don't go quiet, fight and cause as much damage as possible.

If someone has grabbed a child to take them away, it's unlikely they intend to release them alive.

[NotAllThere]

You should have said something along the lines that 'you wouldn't give up on her - not like her real mum and dad.'

That's like saying to your only child "We had four kids, but three of them misbehaved".

[BrilloPad]

Main thing I was say is that the odds of a child being snatched are extremely small.

I would add that I keep a close eye on my children : unlike the McCanns! I am still shocked at them going out : even if only 200 yards away. Not something I would consider.

[Moscow Mule]

Go for the eyes and or knackers.

I appreciate this is a 10 yo we're talking about here but a couple of kids (year 10s I think) from Mrs MMs school have been pounced on by the serial rapist in & around Richmond / Twickenham at the moment.

They both got away by screaming, lashing out and running.

[Cyberman]

You should tell her to aim to kick or knee the guy in the goollies as hard as possible. Perhaps she could test her technique on your hubby.

[Board Game Geek]

I'd tell her that "Assume the worst, and the person is going to kill you. Now direct that fear in to hurting them and causing as much trouble as you can, because it's the only chance you have left. Use it."