So, my 4 year old is afraid of cops

[NCGOPer_for_Paul]

My little girl occassionally gets nightmares like any normal kid and comes into her parents' bedroom. It's been happening a little more frequently recently, and I asked her what her nightmares have been about. Shockingly, she's been saying that a policeman has been trying to get into her room and take her to jail and she can see him through her window. I asked her if she wasn't acting right in her dream and the policeman was coming to correct her. She said NO, I wasn't doing anything and he just wanted to bother me.

She's also said that all of her classmates in her daycare don't like policemen, but they like firemen because they help people. Policemen just bother people.

She's had maybe two or three encounters with police, and they haven't been positive. First time she was two. She was with my wife when some 17 year old kid cut in front of my wife's car. My wife was banged up, but not hurt. My daughter's car seat kept her from injury. According to my wife, the cop on the scene spent a bit of time checking the car seat to see if it was "installed correctly" and BLOCKED the EMT from getting to my daughter. Finally the EMT said something like, "the kid wasn't thrown from the back seat, why don't you stop looking for a violation and let me be sure the baby is ok".

Recently, a cop got in my face and gave me a citation for "blocking traffic" because I dared to ask him how to get around the wreck he was "supervising" rather than blindly "follow the car in front of me". The case is still pending so I won't go into detail. Let's just say he was threatening and again spent time investigating the damn child seat. If he spent the same time saying make the right, next left, turn right, and then u-turn, there wouldn't have been any problem.

So, my daughter has only seen these thugs two or three times in her little life and is already petrified of them, yet she sees firemen as heroes.

[brandon]

As it should be.

[Anti Federalist]

Tell her strong, grown men like myself are as well.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Interesting.

I keep telling EMS and firefighters that they need to stop identifying themselves with police, because police are seriously hurting their reputation. I can see why police would like to lump themselves in with EMS and firefighters, but not the other way around.

Your daughter pretty much said her classmates are influencing her too. No telling what kind of stories they have.

I have a girl similar age and tell her it is ok to talk to a policeman if she is lost in a crowd of people. That is with her approaching police, which is much different than police approaching her.

[JK/SEA]

seems like she has developed a healthy attitude.....

[fr33]

Smart little girl.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

seems like she has developed a healthy attitude.....


I dunno. I might draw some criticism for this, but I think if a 4 year old is lost at something like a state fair, approaching a uniformed officer is probably a good idea. It's important that the 4 year old knows several phone numbers too.

Yeah, I know the trouble someone could be in for losing the 4 year old, but I'd much rather her be found quickly.

[JK/SEA]

I dunno. I might draw some criticism for this, but I think if a 4 year old is lost at something like a state fair, approaching a uniformed officer is probably a good idea. It's important that the 4 year old knows several phone numbers too.

Yeah, I know the trouble someone could be in for losing the 4 year old, but I'd much rather her be found quickly.

oh yeah, couldn't agree more. Too bad cops created this issue, and have people fearing for their lives everytime they show up..

[Barrex]

You and your wife probably talk about police and she heard you?.! (or is it question mark, exclamation, period?)

Good luck fighting that ticket.

[NCGOPer_for_Paul]

Interesting.

I keep telling EMS and firefighters that they need to stop identifying themselves with police, because police are seriously hurting their reputation. I can see why police would like to lump themselves in with EMS and firefighters, but not the other way around.

Your daughter pretty much said her classmates are influencing her too. No telling what kind of stories they have.

I have a girl similar age and tell her it is ok to talk to a policeman if she is lost in a crowd of people. That is with her approaching police, which is much different than police approaching her.

I didn't even think about the other kids' influences, at least on the police thing, maybe because she attends a private Christian daycare, which draws from a fairly affluent base. However, she must be getting some influences there because she's been saying Mitt Romney is good and cannot wait to vote for him in Kids' voting. All I've said to her (and she knows I like Ron Paul) is that Romney is ever so slightly better than Obama. My wife and me do try to include her in current events talk at dinner. She probably knows more about what's going on than the average 10 year old.

Thinking about more things, she probably sees the cops at the NC State University football games we go to walking around with their chests puffed out looking threatening, or up on horseback doing "crowd control".

Maybe all in all, this should give me some hope, that if little kids think there's something wrong with all of this, they may grow up with the inclination to change things...unless they go to public school (where my daughter will NOT be.)

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

oh yeah, couldn't agree more. Too bad cops created this issue, and have people fearing for their lives everytime they show up..


Yeah, I know. Believe me, it is an issue I have struggled with. As I see it, you can't really tell a 4/5 year old everything you know. Mine knows she is not to open the door for anyone, regardless of costume, and things like that. (and leaving a smoky house overrules that idea, etc.)

Now, once 7-8-9, depending on the kid, it is a lot easier to discuss alternate options. I've said before by the time I was 7, I was not only everywhere in the woods, but sometimes missing while camping at large events. No one had cel phones back then. It was either sit at some administration building or wander around until found. Guess which I preferred? lol. Had anyone tried to grab me, they were in for all sorts of nut kicking and eye gouging. I do teach that to the little girl. But the issue very much hinges on who is approaching who.

It was pretty clear cops were not my friends by 9 or 10, without anyone actually saying that. And looking back, things weren't so bad back then compared to now.

[Nirvikalpa]

My little girl occassionally gets nightmares like any normal kid and comes into her parents' bedroom. It's been happening a little more frequently recently, and I asked her what her nightmares have been about. Shockingly, she's been saying that a policeman has been trying to get into her room and take her to jail and she can see him through her window. I asked her if she wasn't acting right in her dream and the policeman was coming to correct her. She said NO, I wasn't doing anything and he just wanted to bother me.

She's also said that all of her classmates in her daycare don't like policemen, but they like firemen because they help people. Policemen just bother people.

She's had maybe two or three encounters with police, and they haven't been positive. First time she was two. She was with my wife when some 17 year old kid cut in front of my wife's car. My wife was banged up, but not hurt. My daughter's car seat kept her from injury. According to my wife, the cop on the scene spent a bit of time checking the car seat to see if it was "installed correctly" and BLOCKED the EMT from getting to my daughter. Finally the EMT said something like, "the kid wasn't thrown from the back seat, why don't you stop looking for a violation and let me be sure the baby is ok".

Recently, a cop got in my face and gave me a citation for "blocking traffic" because I dared to ask him how to get around the wreck he was "supervising" rather than blindly "follow the car in front of me". The case is still pending so I won't go into detail. Let's just say he was threatening and again spent time investigating the damn child seat. If he spent the same time saying make the right, next left, turn right, and then u-turn, there wouldn't have been any problem.

So, my daughter has only seen these thugs two or three times in her little life and is already petrified of them, yet she sees firemen as heroes.

FFS, are you serious about the bolded part? Good EMT though. I've never had to talk a cop down myself, but I am waiting for the day they get in my way and it's a medical emergency.

So sad that your daughter (and her group of friends) are already petrified... even more sad that they have a reason to :(

[Nirvikalpa]

Interesting.

I keep telling EMS and firefighters that they need to stop identifying themselves with police, because police are seriously hurting their reputation. I can see why police would like to lump themselves in with EMS and firefighters, but not the other way around.

Your daughter pretty much said her classmates are influencing her too. No telling what kind of stories they have.

I have a girl similar age and tell her it is ok to talk to a policeman if she is lost in a crowd of people. That is with her approaching police, which is much different than police approaching her.

How are EMS/Fire identifying themselves with police? True, we are all "public servants," (ahem) but we are very, very different. Nothing hurts EMT's more than the fact many don't understand our scope of practice, and see us as merely "ambulance drivers."

[Tod]

As well she should be!

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/grenade-burns-sleeping-girl-as-swat-team-raids-billings-home/article_71d1f226-1474-11e2-b4b4-0019bb2963f4.html

However, there is no value in worrying about it, especially for a four year old.

[Tod]

How are EMS/Fire identifying themselves with police? True, we are all "public servants," (ahem) but we are very, very different. Nothing hurts EMT's more than the fact many don't understand our scope of practice, and see us as merely "ambulance drivers."


I have a friend who is a firefighter and another who is both a police woman and a volunteer firefighter. Another friend is a volunteer firefighter and his brother is a cop. They all know each other and tend to hang around together. Firefighters, at least in some areas, do very much identify with police. In fact police are known to give out "get out of jail free" cards to firefighters and their family, for use just in case they are ever stopped.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

I didn't even think about the other kids' influences, at least on the police thing, maybe because she attends a private Christian daycare, which draws from a fairly affluent base.


Ass beatings and heavy handed tactics aren't just for minorities in LA anymore. I'm sure some of you remember the Rodney King tape. That shit was happening all the time in those neighborhoods. That's why the unrest popped after the not-guilty verdicts. We just didn't have cheap video technology, so you had to be pretty rich just to afford something that would record. Now it's on the average cel phone.

The christian church has done pretty well at keeping government out of their business, but not the average churchgoer. Being "affluent" doesn't help much anymore. You need to be really friggin rich.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

How are EMS/Fire identifying themselves with police? True, we are all "public servants," (ahem) but we are very, very different.


They do it by using the words "Police, Fire, and EMS." They do it by having cop/firefighter cookouts, and softball games. They do it by calling themselves brothers. They do it by patting each other on the back when the news shows up. I see this less with EMS, I suppose.



Nothing hurts EMT's more than the fact many don't understand our scope of practice, and see us as merely "ambulance drivers."


When you say "many," do you mean police and firefighters or the general public? I'm somewhat familiar with the work.

[John F Kennedy III]

Tell her strong, grown men like myself are as well.

This. Stay the fuck away from cops.

[John F Kennedy III]

How are EMS/Fire identifying themselves with police? True, we are all "public servants," (ahem) but we are very, very different. Nothing hurts EMT's more than the fact many don't understand our scope of practice, and see us as merely "ambulance drivers."

EMT's are awesome. They're practically doctors.

[Nirvikalpa]

They do it by using the words "Police, Fire, and EMS." They do it by having cop/firefighter cookouts, and softball games. They do it by calling themselves brothers. They do it by patting each other on the back when the news shows up. I see this less with EMS, I suppose.

When you say "many," do you mean police and firefighters or the general public? I'm somewhat familiar with the work.

Police, Fire, and EMS are first-responders. Hence they are grouped together. If you are a paid EMT, chances are you are hired by the city and therefor do probably know many cops and firemen - because they respond to your calls as well. Many municipalities (including mine) require a cop be present at all medical emergency calls.

Once again, talk about the profession of EMS - not individuals you happen to know in your daily life.


When you say "many," do you mean police and firefighters or the general public? I'm somewhat familiar with the work.

The general public has absolutely no idea what we can/can not do in the back of an ambulance. Most do not know there are medical emergency and non-emergency trasport EMTs. Most don't recognize the levels of EMS, from Basic to Intermediate and then Paramedic.


EMT's are awesome. They're practically doctors.

If this is sarcasm, this proves my point entirely.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Police, Fire, and EMS are first-responders. Hence they are grouped together. If you are a paid EMT, chances are you are hired by the city and therefor do probably know many cops and firemen - because they respond to your calls as well. Many municipalities (including mine) require a cop be present at all medical emergency calls.

Once again, talk about the profession of EMS - not individuals you happen to know in your daily life.


I didn't realize you were telling me what to do in the first place. If I were a fireman or EMS, I'd be getting rid of that term - "first responders." I'm neither, nor police. If you want to keep yourself in that group, then you will have to deal with the police tarnishing you.




The general public has absolutely no idea what we can/can not do in the back of an ambulance. Most do not know there are medical emergency and non-emergency trasport EMTs. Most don't recognize the levels of EMS, from Basic to Intermediate and then Paramedic.


The general public may not understand the specifics, but they do understand that medical personnel are there to help. They understand the fire personnel are there to help. That is not their experience with police in many cases.

I can talk specific or general... it's the same diff. I've never known anyone who was hassled by firemen or medical personnel. I know plenty of people who were not treated properly at doctors' offices or hospitals, including an ICU nurse at her own hospital (she had an extremely painful occipital neuralgia and was treated like a drug seeker), but at least that is somewhat of a passive mistreatment instead of an active and hostile mistreatment. I never hear of anyone who is actively mistreated by firefighters or EMS. I'm sure it happens, but there is certainly no pattern. Police - they actively mistreat people on a regular basis. They actively hassle people on a regular basis. You want general... it's common knowledge police are different from firefighters and EMS.

[Kylie]

EMT's are awesome. They're practically doctors.


You're thinking paramedics. They are NOT the same as EMT's.

I was corrected on this fact earlier this year by a good friend, who is a paramedic. I now know the difference.

[osan]

Tell her strong, grown men like myself are as well.

Strong perhaps... when was the last time you bathed?

The grown up part... I dunno about that... :)

[Jumbo Shrimp]

Tell her strong, grown men like myself are as well.

http://www.costumeconnection.com.au/contents/media/l_costume-fancy-dress-mens-sailor-costume-new.jpg

[Jumbo Shrimp]

You're thinking paramedics. They are NOT the same as EMT's.

I was corrected on this fact earlier this year by a good friend, who is a paramedic. I now know the difference.


The biggest differences between paramedics and EMTs are the training and the scope of practice (what they are allowed to do). Basic EMTs usually receive 120 - 150 hours of training, while paramedics get anywhere from 1,200 hours to 1,800 hours of training. Paramedic programs often award two-year degrees.

The scope of practice differences between EMTs and paramedics can be summed up by the ability to break the skin. Most states do not allow basic emergency medical technicians to give shots or start intravenous lifelines. Paramedics, on the other hand, can give shots as well as use more advanced airway management devices to support breathing. Basic EMTs are usually restricted to using oxygen, glucose, asthma inhalers, and epinephrine auto-injectors (a common exception to the no-needles rule). Paramedics are trained in the use of 30-40 medications, depending on the state.

Seriously? An EMT can't even give put in an IV?

[Anti Federalist]

http://www.costumeconnection.com.au/contents/media/l_costume-fancy-dress-mens-sailor-costume-new.jpg

Now you've outed yourself as Danke's sock puppet.

[heavenlyboy34]

Now you've outed yourself as Danke's sock puppet. LMAO!! :D

[Jumbo Shrimp]

Now you've outed yourself as Danke's sock puppet.

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/MetroidBob/Sir%20Courage%20Wolf%20Esquire%20Collection/Sir-Courage-Wolf-Esquire-OH-BUGGER.jpg

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Now you've outed yourself as Danke's sock puppet.


Sock puppet? That's a jumbo shrimper!

[Anti Federalist]

Sock puppet? That's a jumbo shrimper!

And here all along I thought it was Collins.

[Jumbo Shrimp]

And here all along I thought it was Collins.

Ouch.

[Dr.3D]

Many little kids are afraid of clowns too. I guess clowns and cops are sort of like each other in that respect. The later is just a clown dressed in a cop suit.

[presence]

I think the only thing my 3 year old knows about cops is they shoot dogs.

[fr33]

I think the only thing my 3 year old knows about cops is they shoot dogs.Well good job so far. You should teach him/her that they are paid with stolen money.

[cjm]

You and your wife probably talk about police and she heard you?.! (or is it question mark, exclamation, period?)

Good luck fighting that ticket.

This is a real possibility. My older child was studying Lincoln at school. I was explaining that I disagreed that he was one of the greatest presidents of the US and said that I thought he was one of the worst. Older child asks, "So was he the worst of all?" and I respond, "it's hard to say, my opinion is that there was one worse than him." He asks, "Who?" I say, "Well, there was this guy named Wilson..." and older child asks, "What did he do?" Then, out of the corner of the room, the six year old, who I didn't even know was there, says, "he's the one that made the bank?" My jaw hit the floor. I hadn't mentioned the Federal Reserve or anything like that in this conversation, just "Wilson." I know I hadn't mentioned him by name in months. Those kids pick up on a LOT more than we realize.

[John F Kennedy III]

Police, Fire, and EMS are first-responders. Hence they are grouped together. If you are a paid EMT, chances are you are hired by the city and therefor do probably know many cops and firemen - because they respond to your calls as well. Many municipalities (including mine) require a cop be present at all medical emergency calls.

Once again, talk about the profession of EMS - not individuals you happen to know in your daily life.



The general public has absolutely no idea what we can/can not do in the back of an ambulance. Most do not know there are medical emergency and non-emergency trasport EMTs. Most don't recognize the levels of EMS, from Basic to Intermediate and then Paramedic.



If this is sarcasm, this proves my point entirely.

It is definitely not sarcasm. I looked into the profession when I was at Job Corps a few years ago.

[GunnyFreedom]

I didn't even think about the other kids' influences, at least on the police thing, maybe because she attends a private Christian daycare, which draws from a fairly affluent base. However, she must be getting some influences there because she's been saying Mitt Romney is good and cannot wait to vote for him in Kids' voting. All I've said to her (and she knows I like Ron Paul) is that Romney is ever so slightly better than Obama. My wife and me do try to include her in current events talk at dinner. She probably knows more about what's going on than the average 10 year old.

Thinking about more things, she probably sees the cops at the NC State University football games we go to walking around with their chests puffed out looking threatening, or up on horseback doing "crowd control".

Maybe all in all, this should give me some hope, that if little kids think there's something wrong with all of this, they may grow up with the inclination to change things...unless they go to public school (where my daughter will NOT be.)

Wouldn't happen to be this big Christian school thing they have on Capitol Blvd North of Raleigh?

I know of nothing wrong there, just curious because that seems to be just about the most prolific private Christian school in Raleigh, and you attend State games so it was just a curiosity thing.

[Origanalist]

I have no problem at all with EMT's, but anybody who can't see the similarity between the mentality of firemen and cops just hasn't been exposed to them much.

[John F Kennedy III]

You're thinking paramedics. They are NOT the same as EMT's.

I was corrected on this fact earlier this year by a good friend, who is a paramedic. I now know the difference.

Thanks. You're right. I was sober when I posted that.

[mport1]

Your daughter is very bright. She has every right to be afraid of violent members of criminal gangs.

[Origanalist]

Thanks. You're right. I was sober when I posted that.

Shit, I had the opposite problem.

[NCGOPer_for_Paul]

Wouldn't happen to be this big Christian school thing they have on Capitol Blvd North of Raleigh?

I know of nothing wrong there, just curious because that seems to be just about the most prolific private Christian school in Raleigh, and you attend State games so it was just a curiosity thing.

Gunny, you know I live in Charlotte.

[PaulConventionWV]

You and your wife probably talk about police and she heard you?.! (or is it question mark, exclamation, period?)

Good luck fighting that ticket.

No period needed.

[Tudo]

Healthy to fear the police.

[tod evans]

Kids are smart!

Anyone with common sense should fear a person who is much larger than them, has a bad attitude and is carrying a gun.

[Philhelm]

I have no problem at all with EMT's, but anybody who can't see the similarity between the mentality of firemen and cops just hasn't been exposed to them much.

Maybe some of them tend to gravitate toward the "roughneck" persona, but I don't think that cops and firemen can be fairly lumped together. How many families and lives have firemen ravaged? How many people are unjustly thrown into a dungeon because of firemen? I have nothing bad to say about firemen as a group, other than the method in which they are funded.

[Philhelm]

Kids are smart!

Anyone with common sense should fear a person who is much larger than them, has a bad attitude and is carrying a gun.

And has not only the right to kill practically any peasant without retribution, but gets rewarded for it through paid vacation.

[Nirvikalpa]

You're thinking paramedics. They are NOT the same as EMT's.

I was corrected on this fact earlier this year by a good friend, who is a paramedic. I now know the difference.

All paramedics are EMTs, not all EMTs are paramedics. There's a saying in the EMS world which helps distinguish:

"What's the difference between God and a paramedic? God doesn't walk around acting like a Paramedic." :)


Seriously? An EMT can't even give put in an IV?

EMT-Paramedics can break the skin. Some EMT-Intermediates can break the skin. EMT-Basics can usually not break the skin.

When a squad comes to your rescue, there's no telling what level the EMT's are. My squad usually has a Basic and a Paramedic that ride together, so we can respond to both BLS (basic life support) and ALS (advanced life support) calls. A EMT-B has enough training to keep most ALS victims stable.

An EMT's job, in the simplest of terms, is to keep you stable until the ambulance gets you to the hospital; to make sure your health doesn't deteriorate on transport.

[Origanalist]

Maybe some of them tend to gravitate toward the "roughneck" persona, but I don't think that cops and firemen can be fairly lumped together. How many families and lives have firemen ravaged? How many people are unjustly thrown into a dungeon because of firemen? I have nothing bad to say about firemen as a group, other than the method in which they are funded.

You're right, firemen cannot be fairly compared to cops. But I have seen plenty with the same authoritarian entitled attitude.

[Pericles]

You have a precocious 4 year old.

[limequat]

I dunno. I might draw some criticism for this, but I think if a 4 year old is lost at something like a state fair, approaching a uniformed officer is probably a good idea. It's important that the 4 year old knows several phone numbers too.

Yeah, I know the trouble someone could be in for losing the 4 year old, but I'd much rather her be found quickly.

My wife always tells our 5 yo to "look for another mamma." How do you know she's a mamma? "She has kids with her."
Mammas generally don't carry guns, shoot dogs, or shoot innocents. Mammas will generally empathize with other mammas. Seems like sage advice to me.

[limequat]

This is a real possibility. My older child was studying Lincoln at school. I was explaining that I disagreed that he was one of the greatest presidents of the US and said that I thought he was one of the worst. Older child asks, "So was he the worst of all?" and I respond, "it's hard to say, my opinion is that there was one worse than him." He asks, "Who?" I say, "Well, there was this guy named Wilson..." and older child asks, "What did he do?" Then, out of the corner of the room, the six year old, who I didn't even know was there, says, "he's the one that made the bank?" My jaw hit the floor. I hadn't mentioned the Federal Reserve or anything like that in this conversation, just "Wilson." I know I hadn't mentioned him by name in months. Those kids pick up on a LOT more than we realize.

That story gave me chills. I would have said FDR though.