✍️ Parents — Are We Still Telling Our Kids Not to Talk to Strangers?

We all grew up hearing it:“Don’t talk to strangers.”

It came from love — but the world has changed.And that old rule might be doing more harm than good.

The world is safer than we think

Crime in Canada has dropped by more than 25% since the 1990s.Violent crime and child abductions are down, and less than 0.1% of missing-child cases involve a stranger.(Source: Statistics Canada, RCMP, Missing Children Society of Canada)

Plus, today’s parents have tools our own never did — cell phones, GPS, smartwatches, and instant check-ins.

Our kids are safer than we often realize. So maybe it’s time to stop teaching fear — and start teaching awareness.

Fear vs. confidence

When we tell kids never talk to strangers, what they often hear is:“Don’t trust anyone you don’t know.”

That can make them shy, anxious, or afraid to ask for help.But when we teach them how to talk to strangers safely — how to read people, trust their instincts, and stay alert — we build confidence, not fear.

And that’s exactly what we do every day at Northern Karate Markham.

In the dojo, we teach awareness — not fear

Karate isn’t just about kicks and punches. It’s about awareness, judgment, and confidence.

We teach students how to:

• Stay calm under pressure

• Read body language and intentions

• Speak up and set boundaries

• Trust their instincts

When a child can bow, look someone in the eye, and say “Osu” with confidence — that’s real self-defence.

What parents can do

1. Talk about intentions, not identities.Most people are kind — teach kids how to read behaviour, not fear strangers.

2. Model safe interactions.Let your child see you talk politely and confidently to new people.

3. Practice real-life drills.Just like self-defence — “What would you do if someone offered you a ride?”

4. Use technology wisely.Phones and trackers are great tools, but awareness is still their best defence.

The takeaway

We don’t want kids who hide from the world — we want kids who can walk into it strong, aware, and unafraid.

At Northern Karate Markham, that’s what we teach every day:not fear, but confidence.Not avoidance, but awareness.

Because in karate — and in life — it’s not about avoiding strangers.It’s about knowing how to handle them.

Osu,

Kyoshi Eric Vinagreiro, B.A., B.Ed.

Northern Karate Markham