Stranger Danger

I'm a Nanny. Which means my job is to watch children. I take the little kiddos I watch to the park and let them work off some energy. They have fun running around and I get the joy of some time out in the sun and watching all the kids play together. And if other mom's or nannies show up it's nice social interaction. I love my job and I completely adore the children I watch. I honestly don't know how you can love a child more then I love them. When I have kids, If it is possible to love them more as I'm told it is, I might just be the most protective, caring, loving, child spoiling mother of all time.

This begs the question then, why do a post on sex trafficking from a nannies point of view? Well, the people who come to the park without children are what this post is mainly about.

I had taken the boy I nanny to the park one day as we so often do. It was a nice day and he and I were both enjoying ourselves. Going up and down the slide over and over. One thing that I have learned from being a nanny is that I must always pay attention to the people who are around. It's not just about me anymore. It's about this child too. His life is in my hands. On this particular day at the park, I noticed an older man just hanging out in a car, looking at the children. He was parked behind the bathrooms and a big tree. The only way he was visible was from the very edge of the park where the swings are located. Mine and the kid I nannies first stop.

Instantly, red flags started going up. Especially since it was just the child I nanny and I at the park for a while. Hopefully this is the case for everyone watching over a child. When people who are very out of place in an environment for children, it is better to be "too safe". Now, yes this is technically profiling but it's important to be safe rather then sorry. I'm not betting the child's life on it, so I'm ok with being known as a "profiler". But a lot of times a recruiter for trafficking can be someone who blends into the surroundings perfectly.

My point is, people who are in charge of children need to be careful. Start keeping your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings. There is no way to truly estimate how many young children who are kidnapped while in their parents or guardians presence are trafficked.  But I can't help but wonder how many "recruiters" scope out children at a simple, fun place like the park. The very place I take the child I nanny all the time.

So parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nannies, baby-sitters, legal guardians, watch out for your child. Don't stand there and text while your child plays (which I've seen all too much), and maybe ignore a call from someone if needed. If anything is going to distract you from watching the child you're in charge of and possibly put them in danger. It can wait.

Just a thought from an over protective nanny,

Janice and Nicole