Stranger Danger

Emma went over to her friend Riley's house the other day.  When she knocked on the door they were not home. 

Not much of a story right.

The conversation when she got home went something like this.

Emma:  "Riley wasn't home"
Mom:  "Okay"
Emma:  "Riley wasn't home".
This time I hear the panic in her voice.
Mom:  "Honey, are you okay?"
Emma:  "Riley, wasn't home.".
I can tell she is shaking.  Now I am getting a little bit nervous. 
Mom:  "Emma, what happened."
Emma:  This boy said "Hey you, come here."  Riley wasn't home."
Mom:  "What boy?"
Emma:  "I don't know, A black boy"
Mom:  "Honey, did he do something to you?"
Emma:  "He just kept saying "Hey you come here."
Mom:  "Where were you?"
Emma:  "By Riley's house.  She wasn't home the boy asked me to come here, I just keep riding my bike fast and kept going.  He got in the car with his friend and then the other boy drove away."
This is where I am getting confused.  I am thinking a boy.  So I ask if it was a teenager.  She said no.  I said were they as old as me.  She then says yes.  I now am getting nervous.   I find out that there was 3 African American men, two out on the street the other in the white van driving.  I told her we would have to call the police and this in when the tears start and the panic boils over.  She doesn't want to get in trouble.  She is worried that if they didn't do anything wrong she would get in trouble or they would.  I had a hard time talking her into it but knew I had to.  Finally she was okay with it.  We called the police and they were great.  They were here in 5 minutes and he was very careful with Emma.  Then my neighbors actually saw the van and got the license plate number.  This is really a scary thing for me.  Even worse though is that my daughter is now just a little less innocent then she was the day before.  I am glad that Emma was smart and just took off.  She is a bit shy and I think this played in her favor.  The thing that worries me is that JJ is very social, especially with adults.  I could see him talking to the person and not realizing he was in danger.  I hope having this happen, JJ will understand what Emma did the right thing and hopefully now that we have talked about it he will understand better.  

I hope if you read this you will talk to your kids about Stranger Danger.  Practice what to do if they have something like this happen.  We live in a very safe neighborhood.  Please talk to your kids.  I would hate for anything to happen to any of our children.  The fear that was in Emma when she got home was so sad.  I just can't help but think how much worse it could have been if she had talked to them.  Hug your kids tonight.