Periodically, I think about Stranger Danger. Mostly at inopportune times, when suddenly it occurs to me I haven’t discussed Stranger Danger enough with my kids.
And while most kids may be startled and thrown off by this approach, my kids have learned to roll with it – as one would when one has such a charming and fun (not to mention pretty!) mother.
Case in point? This latest example of The Stranger Danger Talk.
Hubby and I were at the airport earlier this week getting ready to ship the kids back east by themselves to visit my parents (thanks, Mom & Dad!).
As we were waiting at the gate, I took a look at their tickets and noticed that while they were both in the same row, one was seated by the window and one was on the aisle. Which left a whole seat open in between them for…duhn, duhn, duhn…STRANGER DANGER!
So we discussed all the ways they could avoid being separated by a stranger intent on sitting in between them on the plane. But because I can’t leave well enough alone and now Stranger Danger is in my head, I asked them both quietly what they would do if a stranger did sit between them despite their best efforts and tried to touch my babies-on-a-plane-by-themselves inappropriately.
Sissy, not at her first Stranger Danger rodeo, immediately launches in to how she – if the stranger is a guy – will punch him in the throat and groin while shouting “Stranger Danger!”
Sonny, watching Sissy go through her Stranger Danger motions chimes in with, “I call what she’s doing the Pinocchio Approach.” At which point he mimics a wooden boy whose puppeteer is pulling on his strings such that his right arm and right leg are moving simultaneously in a punching/kicking motion. Up and out. Up and out. Up and out.
Ok, good. They know some stuff. The Pinocchio Approach is a nice touch.
So I pose my next question, “But what if it’s a woman? Stranger Dangers aren’t always men.”
To which Sissy replies with, “then you do THIS!” And she demonstrates with more hand motions – two fists coming straight at my chest.
I back away and say, “REALLY?! Did you learn that somewhere??”
She says, “No, but I know when I get hit with a softball in the boob it really hurts, so I figured that would work.”
Hmmm. That’s a great point. I’ve gotten a chestful of soccer ball myself and what she says is true.
But since we haven’t heard nearly enough from Sonny on the topic, I turn to him and ask him what he would do during Stranger Danger.
He said that no matter who it was, he’d punch them in the stomach and then shout, “I’m not going to like your social media posts!”
And thus concludes another successful conversation on the topic of Stranger Danger. Stranger Danger 2017.
Thanks for stopping by. Where have you been these last few months? I missed you.
Don’t be such a…Stranger next time. Heh, heh, heh.