Editorial: We must all help to keep our kids safe

It is important to teach our children to avoid potentially harmful situations. Photo / George Novak

These days parents are often torn between letting their children walk to or from school and worrying about whether it would be safer simply to drive them.

There is nothing better for kids than letting them walk, cycle or scooter to and from school, especially in summer. Sometimes time constraints don't allow that, but they certainly enjoy it when they get the opportunity.

However, stories like the one we had in the paper yesterday are a bit of a worry. Police are looking for two young men who tried to entice a 12-year-old girl into their car while she was walking to school on Wednesday. The incident happened on Guthrie Rd in Havelock North as the girl was walking to Havelock North Intermediate at about 8am. A small, rusty, white, older model, four-door car pulled up beside her and the two men offered her a ride to school.

Luckily the girl said no and ran away, but she was left shaken by the incident. It is a serious worry if our children are not able to walk along a street without being harassed in this way. Thankfully, we are not dealing with an abduction or even worse.

Incidents like this reinforce the need for members of our communities to be vigilant and look out for the safety of all children, not just our own. If a situation looks a bit odd and it appears as if a child is being forced to do something against his or her's will, then I think there is nothing wrong with someone stopping to enquire if they are okay.

Likewise, it is important to teach our children to avoid potentially harmful situations. They need to do exactly what this girl did and run away or if they can't do that, then make as much noise as possible to alert other law-abiding citizens to come to their aid.