Has anyone else noticed their children/child are afraid of the Police?

We got pulled over by the police as DH was speeding :shock: (we genuinely weren't aware of the speed limit in the area we were in) and the Policeman wasn't gruff or awful or anything but since then I have noticed that Paris is afraid of Police, even if she sees them on TV she covers her head with her hands and hides.

Any suggestions as to how I can educate her about what Police do?
The last thing I would want is if by any chance she needed the Police to help her, that she run away from them or something...

I was thinking of buying a book or something.

It could seem irrelevant to some, me posting this, or a little OTT but she is due to begin school next year and I would hate for her to ever need the Police for any reason and be too afraid to call out for help or something.

Sounds like she doesn't realize they're the "good guys"! :lol: Books sound like a great idea and maybe you could see if you could take a tour of the police station, depending on the town where you live. Also there is a dvd series, starring Dave and Becky, (Dave's world of wheels) that are good, talking about police, firemen, and other emergency personnel. My kids loved them, we got them from the library.

Madsyon will tell you that the police are there for the bad guys and they take the bad guys to jail. My bio dad is a police officer and has been for 30 yrs so she knows about that and he gets the bad guys. I would see how a child might be afraid though if maybe the parent got in trouble for like speeding or something.....lol

I don't know how you or your DH reacted when you were pulled off, but i think a child also watches mom & dad's reaction. And they are soooo good at picking up a "negative" mood. She may just feel 'afraid' of them cause they did something not so nice to daddy. When we see a traffic officer or police on the road, we try not to act in a negative way towards them (even if we don't make "physical contact") but try and give them a positive support rather. after all, if you abiding the law, there is no reason why we should not like them. and if we did do something like skip a stop street or drive a little too fast, then we deserve our fine. like our children sometimes deserve their hidings.
I think looking for a book or even kid's movie with a "good cop" theme would help demostrate their "good guy" role.

All the best with it.

Yeah Mab, he did react very positively, even when the cop was fining him, he was polite and said "Yeah, you are right, I was speeding, I am sorry"
but yes there are some very good suggestions here. I think I will try a few of these things out.

had a friend who's kiddo was afraid too....she knew a police officer/or you could contact the station...and an officer sat right on the ground with her in full uniform and talked so kindly and softly to her and showed her his outfit and told her he was there to make sure she was safe, etc....showed her the cop car and got to hear the siren and stuff....helped a LOT!

Some family members were in a restaurant when one noticed her dd eyeing a police man cautiously and especially staring at the gun in his holster. She approached the police man with her dd and they talked to him. The police man explained that he was there to help and if she's ever lost or needs help then she should go to a police officer. It seemed to resolve the issue entirely. Perhaps something like this would help?

Sounds like she doesn't realize they're the "good guys"!
Madsyon will tell you that the police are there for the bad guys and they take the bad guys to jail.

My reservation would be teaching a child that all policemen are "good". I don't think this is necessarily so. This is not meant to be offensive because I realize that this is a career that requires courage. However, one of these days Christians may be looked at as "the bad guys". :?

I totally know what you mean Madre, the fact is a LOT of cops are corrupt - but yet, I don't feel that's appropriate to teach that to DD and DS at aged 4... it's a hard one!

I am not sure anyone would take offense at what you said BTW :wink: