In her Aug. 28 letter to the editor, Judy Kessinger states (in response to Julie Muhlstein’s article on the Yello Dyno Child Safety Program), “I think programs such as this one teach fear rather than safety.” Ms. Kessinger is misinformed, as the Yello Dyno program is specifically designed to empower children with knowledge rather than to frighten them. Using a friendly dinosaur puppet, engaging age-appropriate videos and fun, foot-stompin’ music, we teach kids how to avoid becoming victims.

Ms. Kessinger goes on to say, “Children need to be given a few basic rules by their parents to keep them safe.” By this I imagine she means, “Don’t talk to strangers!” and so on. This is precisely the kind of advice that has led to an epidemic of child sexual abuse and all too many child abductions. Research tells us that one girl in three and one boy in five will be molested before the age of 16, and that a successful non-family child abduction occurs every nine minutes in the United States Why have the age-old “safety rules” failed so miserably? Because nine times out of 10, children are victimized by someone they know. Hence, Yello Dyno does not teach stranger danger. Instead, we teach children how to spot and avoid Tricky People and their various lures. Teaching kids what to do to stay safe is inherently less frightening than what not to do that will put them in harm’s way.

As a clinical psychologist who has done well over 20,000 hours of individual psychotherapy with victims of childhood sexual abuse, I can attest to the fact that every child needs more than the “few basic rules” traditionally dispensed by his or her parents. I urge parents everywhere to learn what information to teach and when to teach it.

Executive Director

Protect-A-Child-Today!

Everett