Don't talk to srangers!

You've either heard it from a parent or you've said it to your children, "Don't talk to strangers." I couldn't obey this rule as a child, ever, never, I simply walked up to people introduced myself to them and started up conversation; I know their name they know mine so we're no longer strangers.

This frustrated my mom and grandma who were cautious and worried I'd be kidnapped by someone I had been 'too' kind to. I could understand why you wouldn't want to meet people. It was all I wanted to do.

I wanted to make sad people smile and took it as personal challenge to create this upward crescent on the faces of everyone I would meet. In grade school I wanted to know why the kids in high school never smiled. It was as if growing up meant losing joy and I didn't want that.

Then came the day I had a son old enough to go out and play in the yard while I supervised through the kitchen window. This was the moment I was supposed to tell my son not to talk to strangers. At the moment I was about to I realized I wanted him to be a communicator who didn't fear speaking in public to people he didn't know. So now what? What do you say if not "Don't talk to strangers."

You say, "If someone you don't know comes over to talk come get me and we'll talk to them together." It was freedom for him to talk to adults we know and trust and permission to run inside if he didn't. Plus it has been a freedom to meet new people with a safety net.

I'm older now and have three sons who all talk to strangers. They know how to join an adult conversation without interrupting, most of the time. They are sometimes bashful in new situations but they can usually overcome it and meet people in five minutes.

So if a little boy walks up to you and starts up a conversation be forewarned he may be mine.


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