Waffle started Kindergarten this year. She catches the bus at noon and has to be accompanied by a parent. She's picked-up, by a parent, at the corner when school is finished and gets off the bus with 7 or 8 other kids. It's safe because either Blue or I are always there for her and when she leaves us she is with the bus driver and other children.
On the first day of school all of the Kindergarten kids were given big buttons to wear on their backpacks. The button is bright yellow and very noticeable. On the button is all of Waffle's important information; her name, where she catches the bus, her bus # and the name of her school.
Blue has been thinking about speaking to the principle about this. He sees this as a serious risk, freely giving out our daughters name and information to anyone who walks past her. We teach her not to talk to strangers, but the truth is, Waffle would run up to a creepy looking man in a dark van and ask him to push her on the swings before thinking twice. She's just that kind of kid. It makes it harder when that individual might know her name and street and school from the button on her backpack. The button has fallen off a number of times so I've just stopped putting it back on and will continue to leave it off until told otherwise.
I can see why the school asks the kids to wear the buttons and since she's always with a parent I do think that everything will be fine. I don't live in fear of my kid being snatched. But every year there are 30+ little kids being given these buttons with their information on it.
What are your thoughts on this? As a police officer, or the wife of one, where do you stand on having a child's information on display for the world to see?
I would freak, as would my hubby. A first name is scary enough for me. I cringe when I see kids with their names plastered across the outside of their backpacks. Yes, my kids know to scream and fight if someone tries to grab them, but what if that person knew their name! Having all their info on them like that just seems dangerous. I would definitely talk to the school about it, police kid or not.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, they can't give me the info for the other kids, but they can just write it on a giant yellow button and send it out there. That seems odd to me. If the adults need that info so they kid doesn't get lost, it should be IN the backpack and be used in emergencies.