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This week is fire safety week at school. So, my first grader has the assignment of making a map of his house, drawing his escape plans in case of a fire and discuss all of this with us. Great idea!
However, my dh and I feel sort of funny about sending in a map of our house. I trust his teacher, but sometimes the really good assignments (this is for a grade) are posted outside his classroom. I understand the safety in fire preparedness, but doesn't this sort of lead to other safety issues?
Now a predator could know where my son's room is and all our other children's in our home. I know it is unlikely, but so is a house fire, a sponge in the stomach, a priest suddenly dying of cancer, you get the idea.
So, I am thinking of calling his teacher and expressing my concerns. Maybe that way she won't display them outside. She has probably already thought of this, but it just seems like a strange assignment to me.
Are we weird to think this way? Dh said the same thing last night after the kids were in bed.
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Put the name and info on the back of the drawing.
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And if I am not too far off the mark, a LOT of homes in FL have the SAME layout!!!
BUT if you are concerned about revealing your identities in association with the project simply do this when labeling the map instead :
Brother's Room
Sister's Room
Kitchen
Mom and Dad's Room
123 Street Name
Kitchen
By the way, I did this as a Fire Prevention project and won!!! I did a layout of our house, labelled it and showed my escape route with an X marking our meeting spot. Won top prize!!!
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Originally Posted by Christy_K_
And if I am not too far off the mark, a LOT of homes in FL have the SAME layout!!!
Sure, they could find out the layout by looking up our builder online. (There are two other homes in our neighborhood with the same floor plan so not that many. It isn't like every house is the same. Similar, but not the same.)
But, to put, "my room", "brother's room", "mom and dad's room" on a poster would be the same thing as putting their name on it. If a predator wanted a little six year old boy he would just look up "my room". My son's name is definitely male and would be on the picture.
It just seemed sort of contradictory to have them do this project while we are also teaching them (schools included) to not give out information like this.
A catch 22 for sure. . .
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I guess I am not understanding this project very well.
If his name is on the front, I can understand your concerns. If his name is on the back and he simply labels it brother's room, sister's room, etc, I don't see the harm. But then again, I am a small town country girl who trust too easily I guess. I would never have thought to look up the builder, the codes, the layouts, etc. That is such a lot of work...but these guys (child predators) are professionals and would go to that extent if they are who you are really concerned about. I am approaching this from a very simplistic point of view.
If you are really concerned about it, maybe mention other alternatives with his teacher. There could be a way around it.
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I think you are way overly concerned, but if it bothers you, I would just contact the teacher and make sure these will not be displayed anywhere. I think this is a pretty standard assignment for grade schoolers.
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Maybe a note or a call to the teacher is in order. This is something I've never thought about but it would be in plain sight. It's really scarey to think about.
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Originally Posted by Happymom
I think you are way overly concerned, but if it bothers you, I would just contact the teacher and make sure these will not be displayed anywhere. I think this is a pretty standard assignment for grade schoolers.
Yeah, I don't usually think like this. But, in school they talk to the kids last week about good touches bad touches, they encourage us to talk bout not giving out too much personal information to people and THEN the next week they assign something where the kids turn in a layout of their home? It just makes us sound hypocritical from week to week. This week it is ok to give the layout of your house, next week don't give anybody information about your home, etc. I can see where it would get confusing for a child.
I just want to be consistent without scaring the pants off my children! It is a scary place unfortunately. It isn't like when we were kids. . .
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Claire, I think you are right on. ANY risk is a risk. Go with your gut!
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I would just ask the teacher and explain all you've done here....the contradictions, etc. I would suggest to her NOT to hang them up outside the classroom, if at all. She could hang them inside the room, or specifically ask her NOT to hang your ds's up. I understand your concern, but it's nothing I would have thought of. However, this day in age, you can't be too careful. Scary thought.