Look there's a policeman

[tbrannon44]

I was walking to my car when I noticed a young mother with a young child pointing at me and said "Look there's a policeman! be good or he'll take you to jail!" It kind of bother me a bit so I said to the mom, "Ma'am, by teaching your children to be afraid of the police who will they go to if they're ever lost or in need of help?" She gave me some silly excuse but I think she understood. Anybody ever have a similar encounter. What did you do or say?

 

[sharpayvargas1]

I read the same problem in "Dear Abby. It's about a nurse who encounters the same situation where a mother threatens her child that if he won't stop crying, the nurse will inject the child with something. About the nurse in the article, it really is important that they befriend the children so that the children would willingly go to clinics without much of effort on the part of the parents to convince them. About the police officer story, I hate to disagree but in my opinion, children have to learn that doing something bad would be something policeman will not like. So, I believe that at a young age, a person needs to be afraid of doing bad things and it just happened that policemen symbolize punishment to evil-doers. That's how we, ordinary people perceive it,

 

[PhilA]

I have heard that exact saying before, I am not sure if it is a good thing or not. It's important to know that the police are there to stop crime, but you are right, we shouldn't make children scared of them.

 

[GemmaRowlands]

I don't think it's a bad thing that kids have something to think about when it comes to the way that they behave, but sometimes I hear parents saying things about their children being put in jail for doing things like not tidying their room and things like that, which I think is cruel. Children should not be scared into doing things at home, they should be made to understand as soon as they're old enough that the police deal with criminals, not just naughtiness, but I do understand that many children will be far too young to be able to comprehend that.

 

[stevesxs9]

I don't think its all bad what she told the child, because part of what I believe she was trying say is that they have the authority to make sure the child's held accountable for certain things when doing wrong. But maybe she could have done a better job explaining it to the child.

 

[js85]

I think it's pretty sad that parents use that as a way to teach their child to be good. It's almost the same as the saying "Don't teach your children what to learn, teach them HOW to learn." But instead, don't teach your children how to be good (so they're not arrested) but WHY to be good. Disappointing that seeing police officers as a "bad guy" starts so young! Luckily, my dad had a lot of friends in law enforcement while I was growing up, so I knew them as friend/"uncles" first.

 

[milyjohnson]

I guess it would depend on how you interpret what the mother said. She could have been warning the child what could happen if they act up. Then again, that could also give the child the wrong impression about police officers. The last thing a child should be told is that police officers can't be trusted.

 

[Profit5500]

Children grow up fast and if they are taught to be afraid of the police then there is no room for them to understand police officers. I know she was trying to do something to scare her kid but that is not the right thing to do. Instead she should educate her child not to be afraid of the cops.

 

[shilpa123]

I think it is a stupidity of a mom to make their own child scared of policemen. I think she was just trying to make her child obey her and scaring him of the policeman is the best way t do it. Don't you think so? But if the child was paying any close attention to whatever she said, I think it will have a bad effect on the child.

 

[primalclaws1974]

My view on this is that although you are right, you should not have questioned her parenting. How would you like it if she came up and questioned if you were adequate at your job? I respect the police. I understand you have a hard job, but a uniform doesn't dismiss you from common courtesies.

 

[ally79]

You definitely don't want to raise your children to be afraid of the police, but I know I have heard countless parents use the police as a means to get their children to behave. Why not just learn better parenting skills?

 

[hayrake]

If I'd been you I think that might have made me feel pretty rotten. I'm not so sure, though, that it would have had much effect on the child. It could have, I suppose. It depends on the child. How sensitive the child is, etc. I see a lot parents saying things to their kids today that would have sent me into a mental orbit as a child, but I note also that the kids often don't take their parents as seriously as I took mine. The parent/child relationship seems a lot more casual than it used to be.
It just might be that you were the only one affected here and the kid never gave it a second thought.

 

[Gelsemium]

LOL, that is a fact, I always teach my kids to respect policemen, not to fear them, that makes no sense at all.

 

[jeremy2]

I have had a similar experience in the past although i can't remember it vividly.The problem we have is that of perception where police are viewed in negative light given the way society looks upon policemen.Many a times the police force is looked upon as a haven for corruption and infringing on human rights.It's upon the police to revamp their image and foster good public relations.