Felix Unger, one half of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, easily and memorably explained why making assumptions is problematic. On a chalkboard, he wrote ASSUME. He proceeded to circle parts of the word and finished by saying, "When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me!"
Assumptions are mental shortcuts, easy paths for thinking to follow, subject to biases, stereotyping, peer pressure, and the like. Recall how often remarks aligning with Felix's quip show up in conversations, print, or film:
Don't jump to conclusions!
Looks can be deceiving!
There's more to this than meets the eye!
Don't judge a book by its cover!
We think both logically and instinctively. Solve this problem:
A bat and a ball together cost $1.10. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?
Did you immediately say the cost of the ball is 10 cents? That would be instinctive, illogical, and incorrect. The math does not compute.
Confucius said that people gain wisdom in three ways: through reflection (the noblest), through imitation (the easiest), and through experience (the bitterest). When dealing with children's safety, that last method of becoming wise is frightening.
Assuredly, no one wants their child to be tested on safety awareness first and then learn the lesson. Parents and guardians want their children to become self-efficient, able to attack every task and obstacle they encounter with a sense of self-confidence, with the ability to put in the effort required and to persevere in the face of difficulty. It's a long journey from infancy to maturity. The emotional part of the brain grows faster than the part that controls impulses. Children desire new challenges and thrills. Children fail to see long-term dangers. Adults provide context, buffers, and guidelines that children can incorporate into their behavior or be partially/totally ignored through their maturation.
The following sentence is one I would like you to discuss with your children. You'll recognize it. Spoken by an adult, it has a different impact than when spoken by a child. As someone concerned with stranger safety awareness, I find it disconcerting to hear from a child:
There are no strangers here; only friends you haven't met yet!
These words are attributed to Nobel Prize winning poet William Butler Yeats. Does that make it more meaningful? Ask your child what they think the sentence means? Remember, the emotional part of their brain is in control. Do they think it is true for everyone? Does it apply also to their online communication? Is the statement unproven, exaggerated, or outrageous? Is it wishful thinking? Does your child see any safety issues in those eleven words? Teachers have influence, but nowhere near that of parents.
Be safe.
Answer to the math problem: The ball costs $.05. If (x) is the cost of the ball, then (x + $1.00) is the cost of the bat. Then, (x) + (x+$1.00) = $1.10. Then, 2x + $1.00= $1.10. Subtract $1.00 from each side of the equation. Then, 2x = $.10 and x= $.05.