Those Bloody Pedophiles

I have never understood this growing fascination with people wanting to do sick things with children. It scares me that it is so much in the open and that these demented guys are as powerful as they are. Take the case of the little Madeleine who was taken from her holiday apartment by what now looks like an organised pedophile ring. Yes, her parents are stupid and should have been there to see if their kids are ok - but we are all saying this in retrospect. The problem is not that this little girl has parents who for one evening lost good judgement, but that every single child out there is at risk from any person who has sick tendencies and an organised network that allows them to take your child and do heinous things to them!

To what extent can you protect your child when people come into your home (remember the Cecilia Zhang case) and take your child from under your nose! Just how protective can you be of your child and still allow them to have a normal childhood? I remember when I was a child, I would spend the evening at my friends apartment - about 3 buildings away and walk home at dinner time. Today, kids are not allowed to play unsupervised in their own backyards in Toronto! How are they ever to getvindependence, street smarts and learn how to tackle the world.

I can tell you from our own experience that we no longer take our little one to crowded places. It's simply not worth it. She likes to run around, and forcing her to sit in her stroller only comes with strong protests, and since she is faster than us, the risk of loosing her is high. It is sad. My child should have every right to go and enjoy these fairs and events. She lives in the most multicultural city on earth, and yet cannot participate in most of it's activities because this small group of sick people have put the worst fear into her parents.

It's scary enough that there could be an odd pedophile out there, but the fact that there are organised rings that steal kids to order is simply too frightening to even understand.