Journalist Natalie Morales Talks 'Stranger Danger'
Monday, April 16, 2012 5:10AM
Journalist and mom Natalie Morales talked about a four-part series she did for "Dateline" called "My Kid Would Never Do That," and put her 8-year-old son Josh to the test in a hidden camera experiment.
One segment, "Stranger Danger," featured a man luring kids into the back of his ice cream truck, and Morales said she wanted to see what her son would do.
In the hidden camera video, Josh's two friends didn't hesitate to go in, while Josh lingered at the back of the truck, before eventually walking in after his two friends. Morales, who became emotional after seeing her son's reaction, said, "It's really hard to separate your emotions, I mean, I was doing this as a journalist, but also as a mom seeing my own kid step into that truck."
Tune in to "Anderson" on Monday, April 16 to see Natalie's full interview. Dateline's "My Kid Would Never Do That: Stranger Danger" airs Sunday, April 15 at 7PM/6c.
Filed Under: As Seen On The Show
Comments
My Kid Would Never Do That taught many things, including the fact that sweet young children should not trust adults at MSNBC nor their own parents, who set them up by telling them mistruths, then publicly "outing" their behaviors.
We, as a society of adults far too beguiled by being in the limelight at any cost -- note, the "reality" shows -- treat children as beings who have no rights to privacy and respect, and this series is just another glaring example.
I say this, knowing I will be in the tiny minority -- everyone else thinking it was amazing to play these deceits on a host of really nice youngsters with misplaced trust in not only predators and cheats, but in adults around them.
Excellent story!!!!! I have been teaching children Stranger Danger using role-play for over 9 years now. In fact we have taught over 25,000 Girl Scouts here in San Diego. What I can't emphasize enough is the importance of role-play. Just like Dr. Borba said, "You have to show them, not tell them." Once children role-play a scenario, they have a mental path written in their memory bank. We teach children the 3 Weapons of self defense; "Your biggest weapon is your voice, your secret weapon is the confidence to say no and yell, and your strongest weapons are your legs. Run, if you can't, go down to the ground and have a self defense temper tantrum so they can't move you." What I would also like to emphasize is this: Stop teaching your children "Don't talk to Strangers." Instead, teach them, "Don't even stop and listen." Once a stranger gets closer than 5 arms-length a child can be grabbed easily. As soon as a stranger approaches them they should be running to safe adults. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT! www.PlayItSafeDefense.com
I enjoy Anderson and the show but disappointed in the plug against using an Ice Cream truck as a main focus of "Stranger Danger". With a little creative marketing you could have done the piece without using the ol' ice cream truck as a tool to make your point. As a business owner of an ice cream business Voted "Best of 2011" in Seattle Magazine we have worked hard to change the negative perception on Foodie Trucks.
I missed this Anderson today :( can anyone direct me to a link for me to view the full interview on this segment? Please :)
I missed this Anderson today :( can anyone direct me to a link for me to view the full interview on this segment? Please :)
I like your show on "Stranger Danger" I have been running programs like this called Escape School where we teach children how to respond to or avoid abduction. We also teach the mothers the dangers of abduction on them and what to look out for. Of course these are only pointers and suggestions. Their is no guarantee that the methods are fool proof but they have saved lives. I am from the Buffalo NY Dingus Day ares.
Teaching your child skills to keep them safe is imperative. The "Stranger Danger" program was proven to be detrimental and was dropped by schools years ago. If your child is a preschooler, the child will (should) NEVER be unsupervised. If your child is at school or playing outside and an emergency occurs or they get lost (yes, a preschooler can get"lost" at a grocery store), their greatest chance of being helped will likely be given by a "stranger". Your child should be taught to SEEK out help from a grocery clerk, even any adult within ear-shot. These people will be "strangers". That passer-by in your neighborhood or the grocery store clerk is the most likely person to help your child. Almost 100% percentage of the population, when approached by your child for help, WILL help them. This is very different than your child being lured into a truck. As the officer stated, there are particular situations you can and should prepare your children for. But to teach them that all strangers are potentially dangerous not only eliminates any hope of your child getting adult help in your absence but also sets your child up for a very negative perspective on humanity in general.
Problems:
80% of child abuse is done by people the child knows.
80% of strangers do not use tricks, but abduct by force.
Stranger danger only covers 4% of child sexual abuse. To create behaviors you need to train, not talk. They need to PRACTICE saying 'no!' There is a major difference between teaching and training. Practice makes permenant. Teaching does little.