Parent using 'kidnap' as a warning

[CAG12]

So im not currently a mum, but will be come march next year.

I was in Sainsburys over the weekend, and a girl (perhaps 7 or 8 years old) asked her mum -

• child, 'mum can I go around the corner and get the cheese?'
• mum, 'no, stay with me or you'll be kidnapped'.

WHAT?! Now im not commenting on the mums want to keep the child in her sight. Im more outraged at the use of kidnap as a deterrant.

Granted I dont know them at all, and it might be a very real issue to them.

AIBU to be a bit shocked at this?

I think in that situation it was said as a joke to a 7/8 year old.

At times I remember saying something similar to dc in crowded places, hold my hand and stay close or I might lose you/you’ll get kidnapped. Probably not the best thing to say but parents get stressed and want to tell their dc how serious things can be if they don’t listen and stay close. Similar to saying to them - ‘stop fighting in the car or I’ll crash’. It’s an exaggerated comment made in a time of stress.

Some people have absolutley no grasp on the risks involved in parenting, I don't think you've said where you live OP but the chance of a child being kidnapped in a UK supermarket within feet of a parent has got to be so small as to be almost immeasurable.

Some parents are just stupid, it's no more complicated than that

My dad used to say “don’t wander off too far or you’ll get skinned and turned into a pair of underpants.”

I am truly horrible to my children.

I make sure my children are all aware of being taken or groomed. They all need to stay within my sights.
The only thing I disagree with is when schools have taught children, ‘stranger danger’
One day a stranger could save your child and the reality is, most child abusers, abducters in over 90% of cases are already known well to the child.
If my kids are in my sight, it’s ynlijely to happen. Besides, there’s nothing more irrational than kids wandering aimlessly around towns, shopping centres, supermarkets.

I`ve said that to mine when young and I do to my Grandchildren.
They look at each other laugh and say Grandma whilst laughing.

@CAG12 I was a brilliant mum before I had kids too.

I regularly tell my kids I'm going to beat them to a pulp. Very dramatically. Often in Tesco when they are being monsters.

I'm kidding and they know it.

But it's our jokey way of letting them know they need to cool it.