Ground rules to comfort the mind

AS my two children got older they had a natural tendency to start exploring further afield and quite often their adventures did not include me.

I was torn between concerns about their safety, notably the dangers posed by strangers, and giving them enough freedom.

We’ve all heard those tragic stories about children lured by promises from strangers.

In reality, instances of children being kidnapped are rare but as a parent you can’t help but think about those occasions.

It’s easy to become a ‘helicopter parent’. Although wrapping your children up in cotton wool seems safe, it can undermine a child’s ability to become a confident individual.

I was lucky in a way, I’ve got two boys of similar age.

So my solution was simple, stick together. I figured there was safety in numbers.

Before I allowed them to head off on a bike ride or walk to the nearby park, I set ground rules and reinforced messages to show caution if there were strangers around.

Other rules included they needed to stick together and if they decided to go somewhere else, first they needed to return home and let me know of their plans.

It took me a while, but now I am far more comfortable when my kids head off on their own adventure.