Paranoid, Over-Protective or Just Trying to Avoid a Parent's Worst Nightmare

Last night a parent's worst nightmare came true for a couple from Louisiana, MO.  Their 4-year-old daughter, Alisa, was taken by a stranger while playing in her own front yard!  Her 6-year-old brother saw the abduction happen and was able to describe the male responsible and the car used.  Here is a copy of the Amber Alert:

I cannot even imagine what these parents are going through.  Apparently, the children were outside playing and the mother was outside with them, as well.  She went inside to finish up dinner and within a matter of 10 minutes, the little girl was gone.  Louisiana, MO, is a small town of about 3,500 people so I'm sure she never thought anything like this would happen.

I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about this little girl.  I pray that God's Holy Spirit would come down and surround Alisa and begin to work on the heart of her abductor.  I pray that if there is even one ounce of good or a conscience in this person that he will not be able to harm this baby. 

I have been reading a lot of posts on different newspaper sites where people are blaming the parents for being negligent and it has really gotten me to think about my own children and how they play outside.

In the last few months, Kanin who is now 6, has gotten to be friends with the neighbor kids.  They all run around from yard to yard playing hide-n-go seek, tag, Army, etc.  I have felt that he is old enough to be outside playing with these kids without me being right out there with him the whole time but it is events like this that make me question if that is the right thing or not.

I don't want any of my children to be afraid of being a kid.  I don't want them to be so dependent on me that they can't make any decisions for themselves or that they are too afraid to be out of my sight but at the same time, I am their protector and it is my responsibility to know where they are at all times.

I remember growing up and staying outside from sun-up until sun-down.  My mom would come out on the front porch and whistle and that is how I knew that it was time to come home.  I would ride my bike all over the place, go for hikes up in the woods behind our house and run around the neighborhood playing with all of the kids.  I was never afraid of someone trying to steal me and I want those same memories for my children, too.

I live in what I believe to be a very "safe" neighborhood.  I know everyone on our little cul-de-sac and most of the kids have been over to our house for dinner.  Of course, there are those cars that drive by that I don't recognize but I have never thought for one second that it could be a child abductor . . . maybe I will now.

Of course, I do not let Gracie, 3, outside without a parent or at least our 15 year old neighbor/babysitter out there with her but I will say that I have let her in the fenced in backyard while I've been inside.  I always keep the family room windows open so I can see her but I don't necessarily stay out there with her the whole time. 

Is this the wrong thing to do?  At one point do I give them (mostly Kanin) a little more freedom?  Should I let him out to play with the neighbor kids?

I am really struggling with this so any advice is welcomed.