Going to the park

Today I took my kids to the park. It was a lot of fun for all of us. My husband has borrowed my BIL's metal detector and when we get to the park you would think he had produced a magical wand. Many of the kids followed him around, helping him dig hoes in the sand if the detector beeps. The excitement on their faces of the prize yet to be found is beyond cool. I also love their fearlessness to to go and investigate something new ( even if a strange person is the new) and allow the excitement of it bring them joy. As adults we often bypass anything new, especially if it involves talking to a complete stranger. Now I know there are some who have no issue with walking up to a person and just striking up a conversation like it is nothing at all, but these people are not the norm. Some of that is that  as kids we are taught  stranger danger, which these days ever so much more.  I once read an article that said as parents we should teach our kids not stranger danger but stranger aware. To teach kids to follow their gut. While I can see a point in that because they will need to know how to maneuver with many people and age groups in their lifetime and yet something I find myself asking is do I really want to lose my child because their gut was wrong or just plain ignored. I think as parents we need to teach our kids to be aware that there are strangers who mean you harm and sometimes they present themselves as a friend or innocent person. That there are strangers who are dangerous. That if anything ever happens ( no matter what it is) to run screaming to the nearest adult and to not stop telling someone what happened until they are heard. Now as adults we should trust our gut, but allow ourselves to meet new people and try new things. Trust our guts because there are still people ( strangers) who will mean us harm, but statistically the people you should watch are the ones you know. So why not make some new friends and try some new things. 

Funny little side story though. while at the park today I was going down an inclosed swirling slide with my youngest daughter ( many times) and to young boys were getting the slide right behind me. They startd whispering behind me and this is their conversation.
Boy one - she has red in her hair. Why does she have red in her hair? (I have red patches in my hair.Not a norm for the area I live in or my age group)
boy two - I don't know. Touch it.  ( I went down the slide before he could )