Many years ago, I was hiking and noticed a small child clearly less than three years old sitting alone at a picnic table sipping from a cup. She had rosy cheeks, a cheerful pink dress, and no adults nearby. She was looking intently in the direction of the river, which was hidden below a small hill.
I could hear voices of people and splashing, but no one was in sight. Beside her was an impossible-to-miss yellow sign warning about this being an active bear area.
While no part of my being could have let me walk past this vulnerable toddler, I confess I felt indignant and irritated.
… The minutes ticked by as I waited near the child, not wanting to alarm her by staring at or approaching her, but ready to help her, just in case.
Read the full article, “Too Small and Too Precious” – A personal story about putting safety FIRST!, in the free Kidpower online library.
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Published: February 26, 2025 | Last Updated: February 26, 2025
Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director
Kidpower Founder and Executive Irene van der Zande is a master at teaching safety through stories and practices and at inspiring others to do the same. Her child protection and personal safety expertise has been featured by USA Today, CNN, Today Moms, the LA Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Publications include: cartoon-illustrated Kidpower Safety Comics and Kidpower Teaching Books curriculum; Bullying: What Adults Need to Know and Do to Keep Kids Safe; the Relationship Safety Skills Handbook for Teens and Adults; Earliest Teachable Moment: Personal Safety for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers; The Kidpower Book for Caring Adults: Personal Safety, Self-Protection, Confidence, and Advocacy for Young People, and the Amazon Best Seller Doing Right by Our Kids: Protecting Child Safety at All Levels.