stranger danger

Alfredo has taught the girls not to talk to strangers. He's practiced with them what they should do if a stranger approaches them, offers them candy, asks them to help look for their dog, etc. One day he mentioned this to me and I said Ella was too young to understand. He called Ella over and asked her what to do if a stranger came and offered her candy. She said emphatically, "Say no and run to our house or Jenny's house (our neighbor)." She's repeated this to me several times now.

Well, today my girls went to Aly's house. Someone came to the door that Aly didn't know and Aly said not to open it since it was a stranger. Apparently, Ella heard this and began to cry and shake. She was so afraid that the stranger was there to hurt her. I guess she was pretty upset for several minutes until Aly explained that she just meant it was someone they didn't know and that it wasn't someone dangerous. Poor Ella! (sorry to you too Aly!) I guess those lessons have really sunk in. She must have been pretty upset, because Aly told me about it. Then a few minutes later, Aly's daughter Annie told me about it. Then Michelle told me about it on the way home. Then Ella told Alfredo about it. I can't decide whether it's good that the lessons have stuck or whether it's bad that we have our 3 year old that worried about strangers!