I’m convinced that I was born with a healthy fear of strangers. I don’t trust people easily. Although it’s made it a little difficult for people to get close to me, on occasion, I’d argue it’s a quality that has served me well. My parents didn’t have to work too hard to warn me about stranger danger because I was already wary. But that’s not the case for every child.
Some of us are born open, trusting, and believing the best in people. That’s also a beautiful quality. But when you’re trying to prepare your child for the realities of the world, things can get a little difficult.
This toddler's innocence is on full display.
One mother discovered this situation as she tried to rehearse hypothetical scenarios with her toddler. Erika, who goes by @erikadaree on TikTok, often shares videos about recovering from addiction but sprinkles in a little cuteness with her daughter.
In one of them, Erika attempts to quiz her baby girl, and the results are the perfect representation of childhood innocence.
The little girl tells her mom what she would do if a stranger offered her candy.
Erika begins with a simple question: “If a stranger asks you if you want candy, what do you tell them?”
The little girl, modeling politeness and gratitude, responds “Thank you.”
Erika corrects her, saying “You tell them 'No I don’t want candy.'”
Somewhat dubious, the little girl repeats her mother’s words.
Other popular ruses strangers might use also would work on her daughter.
Erika tries again, asking “What if a stranger asks you to go to the park?”
The girl nods enthusiastically before saying, “Yeah,” with a smile.
Erika asks her daughter what if the stranger tells her to look at her puppy, and again the girl smiles eagerly.
Erika says, “No, you say, ‘I don’t know you. I can’t play with your puppy.’”
By the time their talk finishes, the little girl finally gets it.
She finishes the video by instructing her daughter that she can only go with strangers if her parents have given her permission. By the end of it, the little girl has gotten the message. When her mom asks again if she would accept candy, the little girl says, “No, I don’t want you.”
'Her survival instincts need some work,' a TikTok user wrote.
The video, which has been viewed more than a million times, has TikTok users melting.
“She’s so adorable, but her survival instincts need some work lol,” one person wrote.
“Let’s be honest even as adults we all want to answer like Zarria,” another person responded.
Another person commented on the need for these type of conversations. “She is so pure and innocent and has no fear in her .. sad we have to do this but in this world so necessary,” the person wrote.
