Panicking after man at bus stop approached my daughter

[Fragglewump]

Please offer any advice as just having a panic. My daughter (15) just told me that a man was waiting in his car at her school bus stop this morning. She is the only one who gets the bus from that stop. Apparently an 'old man' was watching her walk up the road and cross the road and as she passed he wound down his window and started to question her. Do you live around here? I thought so I've seen you walking around here a few times? How long have you lived here? Do you go to 'X' school? Etc she said she felt weird and said 'I've got to go now' then he drove off. I'm not sure what to do because we have only recently moved here so don't have any local friends who can help out and I need to be in hospital tomorrow morning before she leaves the house and gets the bus. Do you think she is being stalked/watched? Is she at risk? What should I do? Please talk me down.

Of course you've overreacted in her eyes. You're her mum, and she's an invincible teenager!

Tell her the next girl he approaches may not be as strong/lucky

You absolutely did the right thing. Hope everythings goes okay and I would definitely not let her get the bus alone tomorrow appreciate you have an appointment but maybe rearrange it?

Tell her if he approaches her again to take a photo of him on her phone and tell him that she's sent the photo to you.

Of course she thinks you've over reacted, when I was that age it took days for my mum to persuade me to do something about the creepy guy at the train station who kept trying to give me sweets and meet up with him at the weekends... When I was dead set against the police she persuaded me to let her phone my head of year and it was him taking it seriously that made me realise she was right.

I bet a police officer taking it seriously will make her realise that you are not over reacting!

Glad to hear polices re taking it seriously

Now I'm angry with this idiotic man quizzing a girl in school uniform! I wonder if he'll be as keen to find out all about me?

letmeusername er yes it was you that said it!

DD's school have recently informed all parents about a similar incident outside her school. They take it very seriously. You should let the school know in case anyone else has said anything similar.

It's a shame we have to suspect everyone these days, but better to be safe than sorry.

Etta I never said it was harmless, I said it could possibly just be innocent. After having informed the OP to call the police, inform the school and take extra percautions to protect her daughter. Read what I have actually posted instead of trying to imply that I'm stupid for suggesting that it's possibly not as bad as it seems!

And also, what good does it do to scare someone even more when they're already terrified and looking for help.

The main thing is that the OP has phoned the police, like advices by all posters and is getting help with the matter.

So the police rang to say they are too bust dealing with emergencies to come out tonight.

This is a useful life lesson for your dd: reaffirm that she did do the right thing to speak to you about it, and that you did the right thing to report it, and that following protocol (no eye contact, walk away, tell someone) will always be the safest thing to do. It will feel awkward and she will wonder if she or you are overreacting, but that is a small price to pay if she can help to keep somebody else safe.

My dc have both, sadly, have experience of dodgy behaviour from a teacher, very difficult to know what to do at the time- but in the event it turned out the pupils who raised concerns were very right indeed.