I don't have any kids myself, but I work with kids on a daily basis. (I'm a dance instructor and an office manager at the same dance studio.) Today I had to answer phones while the parents had a meeting and a had a bunch of the kids in the office with me hanging out. Somehow we got on the subject of where we live. One of the little girls (eight years old) said that she lives in a "trailer park with a bunch of rapers". At first it took me a second to realize what she was talking about... Then it hit me. Child Molestors. I looked up on the sex predator registry a few months ago for my state and remembered reading about a bunch that live in that specific trailer park. My heart goes out to this little girl. When I was her age, I didn't have the slightest idea what was out there. Growing up, I had no fears. I lived out in the country, I had no neighbors, I used to go down to the creek about a mile from my house and sit all day and I never had to worry about "rapers". I'm only 22...my..how the world has changed. How is it that just within less than fifteen years things have changed so much?
I don't know if it's changed so much as the public has been made more aware of it, and thus, so have the kids.
It is good that the children are aware. When I was growing up there were always kidnappings and such, and the schools and parents really made a big deal of it. They had little workshops and things to make sure we knew never to approach cars or talk to strangers, ect..... I remember this one particular situation where this couple pulled up to ask me where a certain street in my neighborhood was, and I just turned around and ran away as fast as I could all the way home and told my mom. She was so proud, but you could see her giggle a bit.
I remember when we had a person that moved into our neck of the woods who was accused of child molestation. We were given word in advance, knew the full name, and even the address in which the person was going to reside.
we kids knew of the molesters in our neighborhoods. of course, i didn't live in the best areas. and this was the late 70's and 80's. it's not really all that different, i don't think. at least now we have the registries to look at the catch SOME fo them.
I don't know, I guess it's just strange to me because when I grew up, the worst thing I worried about was falling out of a tree and breaking my arm. The litte girl is in the same town I grew up in... It's just so bizarre to me.
That is so sad...and really scary. Child molesters are, in my opinion, the worst of the worst. To think they even let them loose is horrifying, but it's even worse that they allow them to live in a trailor park where children live. I'd say shame on the child's parents for continuing to live there, but the sad reality is some people can't just up and move. It's a huge relief, though, to know that she is aware of her surroundings and knows what type of people are around her. It could definitely save her life. I just hope the rest of the kids in that area are aware themselves.
