When we first moved to our current Army post, my daughter was just starting kindergarten. I was also just really beginning to fall into my ‘stay at home mom’ role. It was hard for me to get past the fact that I was not contributing to the money in the household. At this point I decided to try and do some odd and end jobs to bring in some money. My only real hurdle at this point was getting my daughter from her school to our home. We only live about six blocks away from the school, and I had seen a lot of children walking to and from school. My daughter wanted to walk by herself and tried and tried to convince me, but I was not about to allow my, at the time, five year old to walk alone. I spoke with the school about what we could do, and hoping that a busing system bring her home. After speaking with the secretary I had completely lost hope, she stated that they do not run a busing system and to just find a second grader to have walk with my daughter. WHAT! So to my understanding if my daughter and a second grader are walking home and someone tries to abduct them, this second grader is going to fight them off?
The argument that we live on a military post, a safer place than usual, makes no sense to me at all. As of right now there are three registered sex offenders living on post, one right down the street. I understand that in some cases sexual offenders may have not done anything that would harm others, but the point is we are humans. Just because we live on a military post does not mean that we are hidden from the crimes of the outside world. Another argument I bring up is that on this particular base, it is classified as a historical post. So you do not have to military personnel or a dependent to get through the gates.
I understand that there are thousands of people living here, and many are conscious of where their children are at all times. There are hundreds though, that just seem to ship their children out and shut the door behind them. Children are constantly running out into the street, and coming over to play. Unfortunalty I do not allow them to stay, since I have never met their parents and sometimes I have never even seen them before. I just cannot even imagine sending my children outside knowing that they run the neighborhoods. For all I know they could go up to someone’s door, go inside, and never return.
Last year a soldier pleaded guilty to child abuse of his stepdaughter, a four year old that wound up in the ICU with a ruptured spleen. Now I am not trying to say that soldiers are bad people, or that living on a military post is a dangerous place. I am simply trying to prove the point that although these men and women do extraordinary things every day, they are still human beings. Do not think for a minute that letting your small child run freely; entering homes of strangers, and simply walking home from school is alright; crimes happen no matter where you are.
I would love to say that bad things do not happen, especially living on a military post. That is not reality though. Naturally we all would like to feel safe no matter where we are. Let’s use our heads though, especially in situations like this. If your child wants to go outside, go with them. If they want to go for a walk, go with them. Get involved with them, and keep them safe. You are their biggest protector.
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