Rating: 
Summary: Don't Procrastinate!
Review: I hate reading anything that makes me feel anxious and initially this book sat on the shelf for weeks before I actually picked it up. I was so glad I did because there is such valuable information in here and I actually feel better about my child's safety than I did before. Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe and Parents Sane is about how to teach your child to trust her instincts when it comes to safety. Since 90% of child abuse and abductions occur by people well-known to your child, teaching her to talk to strangers just doesn't work. Instead, the author gives you detailed and logical steps to take, starting as early as toddlerhood, so you'll know how to help your child learn to follow her instincive feelings about whether someone is safe or not. Crucial information about how to be prepared for (God forbid but we should all be prepared just in case) the event that your child may be seperated from you in public. Examples include making a daily detailed mental note of the clothing your child is wearing, keeping large photocopies of your child's picture and name in your purse/wallet so you can hand them out to security personel within seconds of your child's disappearance and an action plan for immediate implementation. There is SO much in this book - every bit of it worth reading so you can protect your child - and I can't recommend it strongly enough. Read it NOW and be prepared.
Rating:
Summary: PARENTS - READ THIS BOOK!
Review: I give this book as a gift to all of my friends and family who have or are expecting children. Gavin De Becker is right on the money with this book...you need to read it and listen to your own instints! Well written, to the point and very much needed for our time and for our children!
Rating: 
Summary: Useful but flawed, with several mistakes
Review: DeBecker helpfully explodes some myths (most abusers are parents or friends, not strangers), but perpetuates others. For example, in one part he says that a lost child should seek out a woman. Why? Because "men in all cultures and at all ages and at all times are more violent than women" (p. 87). He then asks the readers, "Is what I've said politically incorrect?" The problem is that it's FACTUALLY incorrect. Decades of sociological studies have consistently shown that men and women commit violence at the same rate. It is true that violent men do more damage than violent women, but that's not what DeBecker said. He said that men are more violent than women, and he is simply wrong. No wonder he gave no reference or citation for that statement. It's a significant and surprising mistake for someone who is supposedly an expert on abuse and violence. It makes me wonder what other "facts" he got wrong. DeBecker also spends a lot of pages on anecdotal stories, and should have spent more time on giving information relevant to all.
Rating:
Summary: Never think it couldn't happen to you
Review: I learned so much after only reading a quarter of the way through it that it wouldn't matter if I didn't learn anything
else from the rest. But of course, I did. It is filled with information that we all should be aware of, in protecting our children and ourselves. Not only does he write about what we should look out for, how to do this or that, but he gives true stories and the outcome of each story, which helps to understand a lot better. Sad, but not all of the stories have happy endings but you learn so much from each & every one.These things can happen in your family and being aware of them is the best thing you can do to help protect your family, your children. A must read for anyone responsible for children.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST for child safety!
Review: This is an outstanding book! Though familiar with Gavin de Becker's other work, it wasn't until recently that I found this gem. I was so impressed that I have given it to numerous friends and family with children. This work should be included in the classrooms, starting in Pre-School! Childcare providers as well as parents will benifit from the wealth of knowlege and resources that this book provides. Teach your children to be safe!
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC
Review: Wonderful resource full of important and uncommon advice given by an FBI authority on these issues. Mr deBecker's wisdon has given us a safety plan that has already been tested in our family. All parents should own this book!
Rating:
Summary: more important than "What to Expect..." or Dr. Spock
Review: This is an empowering book that reaffirms a mother's (or father's)ability and right to keep her child safe. Especially helpful were the sections that listed questions to ask prospective sitters and schools. This is my standard baby shower gift. It'll scare you, but it will also make your inner "mother bear" roar.
Rating:
Summary: This book helped me protect my child!
Review: My child and I recently encountered someone who set off my warning bells. I am so thankful I'd read the book, because it encouraged me to be attuned to my instincts and taught me to clearly recognize and deflect the subtle tactics of a potential predator. It also prompted me to warn others about this person without hesitation. Thanks to Mr. DeBecker's straightforward advice, I handled the incident like a mama grizzly bear on high alert, yet stayed calm and confident throughout. It also helped me in my ensuing discussions with my child. The advice in this book is a gift to anyone who cares about kids.
Rating:
Summary: Protecting the Gift
Review: The information in this book saved my wife and child from a potentially bad day. It's a must read by anyone who is a parent or child care giver. I highly recommend it. It's a great follow-up to Gavin's first book.
Rating:
Summary: THIS IS A MUST READ !
Review: I've been teaching personal protection for 20 years. Gavin De Becker is a profit, and this book hits the nail on the head about children's safety and all the things that we don't do right with our children (relative to their safety.)
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