Every caring parent worries about their children. We want them to thrive and, most importantly, be safe. In our hectic and unpredictable world, it often feels like peril is lurking just around the corner, waiting to disrupt our kids’ lives. But here’s the kicker: our fears don’t always align with reality. By nearly every measure, American children are safer today than we were in our own childhoods—or even than our parents or grandparents were. Objectively speaking, the risks we perceive are far more exaggerated than what actually exists.
Over the past 80 years, child mortality rates in the U.S. have plummeted by more than tenfold. A big part of that decline is thanks to vaccinations. Yes, I get that some parents are wary of immunizations, but the reality is that the likelihood of your child contracting an infectious disease is now less than it has ever been in history.
Violent crime is another concern for many parents, and while specific areas do face real threats, the overall violent crime rate is now about half of what it was in 1991. Yes, you heard that right—half! Even more reassuring is the homicide rate, which in recent years has dropped to levels not seen since the 1960s—the era many people nostalgically remember as the “good old days.”
Now, you might be thinking, “But what about terrorism?” While there has been an uptick in terrorist activities in certain parts of the world, the risk of your child falling victim to such an attack in the U.S. remains minuscule. In fact, the worst spate of terrorism occurred in the 1970s, with hundreds of attacks. Since 9/11, there have only been a few dozen attacks, and it’s statistically more likely for your kid to be struck by lightning than to be harmed by a terrorist.
And let’s not forget about kidnappings. According to the FBI, reports of missing persons are at near-record lows, having dropped by 40% over the last two decades. To put it into perspective, only a tiny fraction—just 0.1%—of those cases involve kidnappings by strangers. So, while it’s a possibility, it’s an incredibly small one.
So why does it sometimes feel like danger is at an all-time high? One major factor is the explosion of media in recent years. When I was growing up, we had newspapers and three TV channels, and that was about it. Now, we’re inundated with nonstop news updates, talking heads dissecting stories, and social media posts sharing every detail. This constant stream of information can make the world seem scarier than it really is.
Another significant contributor to our heightened anxiety is the fear-mongering tactics employed by politicians and marketers who profit off our worries. They thrive on convincing us that we’re in danger, capitalizing on our most primal instincts.
It’s essential to remind ourselves that perceptions can be misleading. This is where trend analysts and statisticians come in, helping us see the bigger picture rather than getting lost in individual horror stories. Sure, those stories deserve to be shared, but if we focus solely on them, we risk believing that the world is a more perilous place than it actually is.
The bottom line? Our society isn’t getting more violent, and our kids are not facing greater dangers than past generations. In fact, kids are safer now than they’ve ever been. So let’s all take a deep breath, loosen the reins a bit, and appreciate that we’re raising kids in a relatively safe and wonderful time.
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In summary, our children are safer than ever before, and it’s time we recognize that fact rather than allowing fear to dictate our parenting.