I’m sure that anyone raising children has worried about their safety and always fears the worst. There’s nothing wrong with being a protective parent, as long as it doesn’t turn into smothering. Kids need to be able to be kids, but there are people out there who prey on innocent children. I’ve done some research and collected these 7 signs of a child predator. Not all child predators have these attributes and many are very sneaky about what they do. However, these are some of the more common signs.
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By gaining your absolute trust, a child predator can get even closer to your child. If you instill a multitude in a person, you tend to feel that your child is safe and allow this person to have a bigger part in your child’s life. This is exactly what a child predator is hoping for. This is also why most child predators are often well-known to the people whose children have been harmed.
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People who prey on children tend to focus mostly on kids, which limits their ability to form friendships with adults. Be on the lookout for an adult who seems to always be surrounded by kids and never by adults. Sure, there are some individuals who kids are naturally drawn to because of their fun nature, but watch for other warning signs as well.
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Some child predators are smooth enough to successfully find employment where they can be close to children all day long; teaching, running a daycare, or some other type of job where there are lots of kids. There are other individuals who simply hang out by the playground or at parks to try and talk to children. The child predators who linger in public places where children frequent are often easier to spot. They tend to look very out of place and like they are waiting for something.
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Not all child predators are loners, but many are because of the lack of adult friendship issue. Also, child predators don’t tend to work in groups. Seeing an adult hanging around where kids are, who doesn’t appear to be with any of the children, often sends up a red flag in a parent’s mind. Many people are wary of individuals who sit alone in areas where children play.
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Teach your child what kinds of touches are appropriate ones from an adult. A pat on the head is often harmless, but caresses should raise some questions in your mind. Child predators are usually looking for ways to cross physical boundaries as much as possible. They might start off innocent, but eventually become more and more inappropriate.
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I know there are some adults who are naturally sickeningly sweet and there is a fine line between genuinely nice and too nice. Most people who are naturally good-natured individuals are nice to everyone, but child predators tend to focus their affections on children more than adults. Watch for inconsistency in behavior. Child predators might be nice to you once in a while and always extremely sweet to your child. There are some individuals who are less stressed around children, which tend to make them act nicer to kids than adults. It’s best to be aware of this characteristic of child predators anyway.
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People who work with children are supposed to focus on the kids they are taking care of or teaching, but this shouldn’t extend into their extracurricular activities. Child predators have taken many forms over the years. Individuals who seem to surround themselves with children and have little time for anything else might initiate some questions. There are always exceptions and a few people can’t seem to find enough ways to help children succeed. Be on guard for other characteristics combined with this overly helpful nature.
I hope these 7 signs of a child predator don’t make you start to question every individual you see on the street. I’m just trying to throw out some common signs that many people miss. My children are finally to the age where I don’t worry about them as much, since they know what is appropriate and what isn’t. Child predators don’t often prey on teens either; they usually stick to smaller children who are easily persuaded. Have you ever had to confront someone whom you thought to be a child predator? Do you know of any other signs that parents should be on the lookout for?
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