The benefit of talking to strangers

For Jacob, there are no strangers, just friends he hasn't met yet. As his mother, this is extremely scary. Jacob does not have a shy bone in his body. Have you ever tried to introduce your child to someone, only to have him or her hide behind your leg? With my older two, it was hit-or-miss. Not with Jacob. Most of the time, it is Jacob introducing people to me. While in line at the store, sitting next to people at a sporting event, or at the park, it never takes long before he says, "This is my mom, Ami."

My older son, Matthew, plays baseball. His team travels to different fields around our city. When we are at our "home" field, I let Jacob run around at will. Most people know him there, and he knows the complex well.

Last week, we went to a field that I had not been to yet, on the north side of town. The people there were all very nice, but I did not know any of them. When Jacob asked to go play with the friend he met in line at the concession stand, I told him no. After a few minutes of pleading, I caved, and let him go.

I let him play for a few minutes, then realized that the game would be ending soon, so I went to go look for him. I walked in the direction he said his new friend was, but couldn't find him. I kind of wove through all the fields, not really scared, just a little anxious to find where he was.

Walking back toward the field Matthew was playing on, I saw Jacob. Talking to a man. Who handed him something. THAT made me nervous. Walking quickly toward him, I asked, "Jacob, what did you get?" (I was afraid to act like too much of a freak, in case the man was someone I should know.)

For anyone who knows Jacob, you know he has an infatuation with police officers. So much so, that before we went to the game, we printed off "customized" police-detective badges, with our names on them (I was his partner that day).

When Jacob showed the "stranger" his detective badge, the "stranger" showed Jacob his badge- He was a real detective! AND, he and Jacob switched badges until the end of the game- Jacob gave the man his paper badge (in a plastic Spongebob wallet), and the detective let Jacob hold his REAL badge, and handcuffs, for the rest of the game!!

Now, I am no advocate of children talking to strangers. But, I will say, Jacob has had some amazing experiences as a result of his lack of shyness- He has been in multiple police cars, (in the front seat, and knows how to turn on the siren/lights), has sat in the driver's seat of a firetruck with a fireman's jacket and hat on (not as part of a group, but in front of a grocery store), has pulled the lever on a garbage truck, and now, his piece de resistance, had the chance to hold a real detective badge!