r/mesaaz • u/Tentacles4U2 • 1d ago

Teach your kids about Stranger Danger

Me and my hubby in our early 50s and White for context were just leaving the post office at Center and Main in Mesa last night. My hubby was approached by 2 x 12 year old boys asking for a ride home. They said they missed the buzz bus and lived close to Dobson & Rio Solado.

We took them, found it odd. Are kids no longer taught stranger danger? We could have been weirdos. We could have been dangerous.

Once we got close to their complex I cautioned them about stranger danger and they shouldn't be asking strangers for rides. They said we know, we do this alot. I asked them if their mom knew. They said no. I was in shock. These kids are brave.

68 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

109

u/99bottlesofbeertoday 1d ago

I wouldn't allow strange kids in my car for a number of reasons.

19

u/Agitated_Ad_3876 1d ago

Are the 99 bottles of beer 99 of those reasons?

15

u/elkab0ng 1d ago

You start singing that song and I’m turning this car right around.

2

u/Significant_Breath38 8h ago

98 bottles of beer in the car!

79

u/PointBlankCheck 1d ago

Goes both ways tbh. 12yo’s are feral these days and will rob you.

20

u/cinncal 23h ago

"These days" 🤣 Billy the Kid was 15 when he started his career. It's in EVERY SINGLE GENERATION, good and bad

4

u/PointBlankCheck 19h ago

Comparing a 15 yo in 1874 to a 12 yo tiktok gen kid is quite the reach. These kids different now. Ask any teacher.

4

u/lovestorun 19h ago

I was going to say maybe we need to teach OP about stranger danger.

13

u/Joshuapocalypse 1d ago

Had three kids about 12-14yo ring my doorbell the other day asking for candy because "they had a sweet tooth". Unintentionally scared the shit out of them when I came from around the side of the house, doubt any sense followed the scare.

12

u/brothapipp 21h ago

They likely profiled you. A couple in their 50’s like has kids of their own, jobs, no arrest record, spare money in their pockets.

I did it all the time to bail myself out of the stupid crap if do when i was a kid.

10

u/Xklonewolfxk 1d ago

I had this happen last summer. I was ordering food at the Alibertos on country and university and 4 kids about middle school age asked for a ride to kino for the pool while I was in the drive thru. They all looked miserable walking at 3 pm middle of summer so I told them to hop in the bed of my truck and took them there. If my mom wasn't with me no one would have believed me I could tell that was a core memory for them 😂

8

u/imacyco 11h ago

Why was you guys being white important to the story?

5

u/Face_Content 1d ago

Then we use uber and lyft.

5

u/watoaz 1d ago

When I lived in Ahwatukee kids would come up and ask for rides all the time! It was so weird.

5

u/Jason_TheMagnificent 13h ago

Ironic trying to teach kids about stranger danger when you allowed two strangers into your car.

4

u/madame23 19h ago

Cause it’s hot and there’s more Good in the world like kids. Why are we still so scared of everything?

1

u/Daledobacksbro 5h ago

I know 2 people that were robbed at gun point at the circle K on Dobson and Rio salado

1

u/AZPastafarian 4h ago

I strongly support telling children to be wary of strangers, but we need to keep in mind that most abuse is perpetrated by people known to the children and their parents.