Is it a safety concern to have child's full name on book bag?

[DinoNuggetsRUs]

I'm usually really careful surrounding these things, never posted my children on social media and their faces have never been on the internet.

I've made my son an iron on patch for his book bag for school with his full name on. He's 3, so is dropped off and collected from school by me every day.

I've posted about durability of the vinyl I used for the patch on a Facebook group and a couple of people have pointed out that it's a safety concern having his full name on there.

I'm usually really careful about things like this, and if he was walking home from school on his own I'd wholeheartedly agree, but is it a safety issue do you think? I'm genuinely asking because I'm wondering whether I've made an oversight and need to buy him a new book bag!

I dunno how i feel about this
I remember Elton John posted a picture of his son's first day at school, with his face blurred but you could see the uniform logo and name on his book bag. I could never decide whether that was just an oversight or not.

I wouldn't have it clearly visible on outside.

Theory is that someone unknown to them can sound safe and connected to them if they speak to them using their name.

I definitely believe that to be a safety /security concern.
Decades ago that's what parents did but decades ago people who meant to harm our children weren't as bold, or prevalent,as they are today.
Having some random come up and call your child by his first name and have knowledge of his last name is not a good thing.
Whatever good you hope you're doing by having the bag being easily identified among other school bags, is totally undone by breaching the security of your child.

I'm wondering whether I'm naive in thinking because he's never alone outside of school it wouldn't be an issue? And also if he 'escaped' school I'm guessing he wouldn't have had time to get his bag.

I can see the point though and understand but I'm just wondering where the issue of him speaking to a stranger who doesn't already know his name (like a teacher) would arise.

I'm happy to be told I'm wrong though so please tell me I'm being stupid if I am!

For the average person it's very significantly less risky than crossing the road on the way to school or driving to school or playing in the park or going to softplay or almost anything else you could do so I wouldn't get a new book bag.

If it's really troubling you carry the book bag the other way round or put a flap over it.

If you are at risk of someone finding you e.g. a violent ex or you're in witness protection then probably best to get a new book bag.

It's fine because he is 3 and isn't going to be walking himself to school anytime soon. By the time he's old enough to be doing that he won't have a book bag.

Decades ago that's what parents did but decades ago people who meant to harm our children weren't as bold, or prevalent,as they are today.

I would love to see the supporting evidence for this mad claim.

I think at that age it's pretty low risk, they are never going to be anywhere without a trusted adult. It's once they start walking to school on their own that more care is needed and they won't have bookbags by then. The problem if you don't name the outside is the poor staff having to find the right one for each child as they need them, ours always had to put them all in a crate as they went into the classroom. We used to put a distinctive keyring on to help them find their own at the end of the day but that doesn't help the staff or reading volunteers.

The biggest risks to our children are traffic, sexual abuse by a family member/family friend/acquaintance and online bullying.

This would not concern me in the UK.

Me too, because I clearly recall a talk from our local Police a few years ago who pointed out that prevalence has never really increased, but news reporting outlets have which gives the perception there is danger everywhere.

If I was going to kidnap a child, I'd kidnap one whose parents didn't take much notice of them rather than one whose mother vigilantly put an iron on patch to their book bag to make their life easier in the classroom.

My school is on a main road. I left at the same time as a few families yesterday and half the parents took absolutely no interest in their children as they crossed the busy road. I could have definitely have performed a kidnapping.

The problem if you don't name the outside is the poor staff having to find the right one for each child as they need them, ours always had to put them all in a crate as they went into the classroom. We used to put a distinctive keyring on to help them find their own at the end of the day but that doesn't help the staff or reading volunteers.

Exactly. Those adults are loving you.

The risk is incredibly low. As you've said, you'll be with him.

Don't pay any attention.

That is absolute nonsense - paedophiles were just as prevalent “decades ago”. Don’t make stuff up to freak parents out. 🙄

I mean what’s someone going to do, get his full name and look him up to stalk on Facebook? I can’t really see the added risk in knowing his full name. Our dc’s school gifts them bags in reception with their first name on them in giant letters. I can’t really see a predator walking down the street, spying a 3 year old, getting out his binoculars to read the label on his bag across the park and approaching him to try to lure him away. There are lots of risks to young children, but generally this sort of stranger danger stuff isn’t really it, except in the movies.

I sand by what I say, and I am certainly not trying to put the frighteners on any parent.

It certainly isn't my concern, beyond my post, to be worried about anyone who wants to put their child's full name in view of anyone who is looking at them and or their backpack.

When my DC were young there was a campaign to warn parents not to emblazon a child's shirt or backpack with their names.

It only makes sense because really, why would you want your little child's full name on view publicly?
I mean, just, why?

Yes and that’s a blanket warning for children of all ages and in all situations to make you risk assess. I wouldn’t have put their name on a backpack or shirt at any age if eg they were going to be walking round London all day or on holiday, where you are exposed to the risk of them getting separated from you and you are amongst large crowds of total strangers, but on the short walk to and from school where they are going to be under your supervision and largely the same people around you every day who you will get to know, the risk is negligible. I know people with untoward intentions are attracted to schools but even if they follow you and your DC home what are they going to do.

If anyone has their family name easily visible then it’s easy to find out where they live and a lot of information. Ever met anyone you would rather not know? I’m not talking about even dangerous just a bit irritating or someone you are not keen on? So for me I do not like giving out our unusual family name. Never met anyone but other family with it.

I wouldn't do it because it seems unnecessary, but I also think the risk is absolutely minuscule, and the focus on strangers on the street posing risk to children is vastly overplayed compared with other risks children face.

It might be a minuscule risk but this was a hard line for me. I never had my kids first name never mind full name on any of their clothes, bags, hairbands etc and if they received anything like that I wouldn’t let them wear it outside. Admittedly my kids didn’t go to a school where everyone had the exact same book bag (or bag for that matter) but if I had wanted to distinguish a bag I would done what another poster has done here and tied a ribbon around the handle, attached a key ring or even just write their name on the inside.

I mean for a rich celebrity I can see the danger in this but for a regular person I'm not sure I can see the risk. Someone could see my child's school uniform on Facebook and know what school they go to. Or they could see them walking down the street in the same uniform and know the same. I don't see anyone suggesting covering up uniforms outside of school so some 'dangerous stranger' doesn't know where your child goes.

Aside from situations where there's a dangerous ex, restraining order or similar, I can't see why your child's name and school needs to be a secret. Most kidnapping/abuse is committed by people known to the child. If a nutter wanted to kidnap a random child they could just hang around a school and wait for a parent to turn their back on one. It's not like children are hard to find.

Nah. Lots of people who I don’t know, know my son’s name, his school, and where we live. Just what happens in a neighbourhood.

Surely the safety risk is if he doesn't have it? If he gets lost someone will check his name tag with your number and call you. He is much safer if easily identifiable. I would also think if he does wander off he is much more likely to be helped by a good person that not. It seems quite paranoid to be thinking this way. If there was a dangerous parent or family member then it's different of course.

The risk is small but I never did it with my DS. My husband manages his football team and have always been told by the FA that minors are not allowed their names on the back of their football shirt for the same reason.

I tend put initials on the outside of the bag so that they can quickly distinguish it from others, and the full name somewhere on the inside. I'm not too worried about it as a thing, but no harm erring on the side of caution.

Same as not leaving your address visible on your luggage. Unlikely someone in the airport will see you head off on hols and go burgle your house, but still...