Do you think that this could put kids at risk?

Question

Do you ever see people who have their kids wear shirts that say their name on them in public, esspecially younger kids? Like a jacket or sweatshirt with their name on it. I took a child safety class once and learned that it's not a good idea to do this because it can give someone who might want to kidnap your child an advantage. This is because if a stranger comes up to the child and knows their name "from seeing it on their shirt" then they could more easily convince your child to go with them because they seem to know them. For example someone could say "hi Robbie, your mom asked me to come over here and bring you to her" and the child would be more likely to fall for it since the person used their name. Little kids aren't going to think about the fact that the person could have read it off their shirt.

Even our school no longer puts the kids names on their field trip travel badges they wear around their necks, instead they just put their ID number and the school name.

Did anyone else ever think about this? Or do you think it's true or is it silly and fine to put the child's name on shirts or jackets?

Answer 1

Do you ever think that people panic way too much about little details that probably won't make any difference?  I mean, teach your kids what strangers are and then put their names on their bags.  I honestly don't see a problem with it.

Answer 2

I could see the potential for harm with it. I never really had thought about it. I have a my family sticker on the back of my car and when we were having it made I wanted to put our names under each person, but the guy told us that we were putting our selves in danger. So we just put our last name. We also had something similar happen to us at Disneyland. We all wore Mickey Mouse shirts that had our names on them, and a guy of course we didn't know him, walked passed up and said Well, there's Lois (my mother in law), Little Haley, Little Brianna and Elmer (my father in law). We turned around to see if this was someone we knew, and of course it wasn't. So I can really see this being a bad thing. But I also make hairbows and put names on them, and I love having my children wear them, and alot of people do order them. So it has it's pluses and minuses.

Answer 3

It has potential risks but kids to young to know stranger saftey shouldn't be unsupervised anyway.

Answer 4

I don't know...you could easily be walking by a wacko and say "hey, Juliana...do you have to go to the bathroom?" and the the person can hear you and use it to their advantage as well....so I don't know?  

Answer 5

i think it is putting your children at risk if you really think about it, the way the world is today , i would never put my kids out in clothes with their name on , kinda makes u think how the world has changed tho when i was a little girl i lived and died in a bright red t shirt with my name splattered across the front !! . i think its better safee than sorry .

Answer 6

Law enforcement in our area has put out a warning to parents about putting their child's name on their clothing.  It does allow strangers and people up to no good to call out your child's name. It confuses my child and makes me uneasy when someone I don't know calls him by his first name.  I'd like to think he would always be watched closely enough that a kidnapping would not happen but as we all know bad things can happen so quickly

Answer 7

Ever since the stranger tried to convince my kids to get into his truck out in front of our house last year (they remembered their safety classes & ran inside to dad), I've even been uncomfortable letting them wear their school's 'spirit wear', with the school name on it, unless I know I'm going to be with them the whole time.  Another one of those facts that a bad stranger doesn't need to know about my kids - "Hey, my kid goes to that school, too, I think I know your mom"...  

Answer 8

My boys know not to leave with strangers or accept things from them unless I am there to give the ok but I also will not put their names on them if we are in public.  My sister had my nephews last name put on his shirt for something one time and I didn't even like that just because then people know the last name.  Of course out in public if you have to say their name then a crazy person could hear it and still try to use that to get to your child so there are lots of risks out there.  I have actually explained to my 6 year old the danger of having his name on his shirt so we put it on the inside (incase he was to get lost of something) and he understands that if someone he doesn't know is calling him by his name and trying to talk to him then he needs to find an adult he does know and tell them.  That is why you have to make sure to have the talk to your kids about stranger dangers.  Even my 3 1/2 year old knows that just because someone knows your name doesn't mean you should be going with them.  

Answer 9

The trouble is and yes i am guilty i buy my daughter tshirts with Kylie on them but as you might be aware shes also a singer and its my daughters name as well, it depends on the age of the child i would think but at school trips the school still does use sticky labels on coats too with their names

Answer 10

I agree with you that it could be dangerous.  I child is more apt to stop and look around if they hear their name called, thus giving a predator time to grab them.  Also like you said, they can speak to them by name.  I love the idea of things with names on them because I think they are cute, but I keep it to things that are kept in their bedrooms (wall hangings)or that they will only use if I am with them (luggage).  

Answer 11

I think, considering the spirit of the times, putting names on kids' shirts and field trip badges is risky.

With older kids involved in sports activities it's okay, but not with the grade school set.

Answer 12

make a password for the child so when you send somone to pick them up the child asks them for the password if the person dosnt know it then they dont go with them and change the password everytime