CHLLady wrote:My way of thinking as a mom is much different than most of the comments I've read here. I choose to park as close to the front of the store as possible. I want to be as quick as possible in and out of the car because that is when I am most vulnerable. If I am far away, that is more opportunity to be watched and followed. I try to never park next to a work van or family van. If I return and there is one next to me, I slow down and see if it appears anyone is in it, then make my little one get in on the opposite side.
When my kids and I arrive and park, I stop the conversation and tell them, "Time to be alert." They know that means eyes open and watching. We try and unload quickly and always walk quickly together. I put on my serious face, head up, and am watching people and reading body language. I've got my mace in hand, thumb on the trigger. When returning to the car, as I leave the doors of the store, I am taking a wide view of the parking lot and scanning my aisle, as I pass the threshold, I look left and right to see who is standing nearby, I look under and around my car as i approach, then get to the car, secure children first, then load items in trunk if necessary, lock doors, return cart, then hustle into car, lock doors, and leave.
If my kids are close to the entrance of the door, there is a better opportunity for them to run into the store for safety and to get help. My purse stays with me and is the last item carried into the car. I figure I'd rather them keep their eyes on my purse, than my kids who are waiting in the locked car. Now that I'm no longer carrying on my person, I feel much less concerned about my purse being the target.
Basically, you have to train yourself and your kids as to the routine of arriving and exiting safely. Get your routine down and stick with it every time until it becomes habit. As a mom, my mind is already skipped ahead to the next item on my errand list, so I must work on being "in the moment". This is my routine, figure out what works best for you and stick to it.
As your kids get older train them to keep eyes open also! Two recent scary things happened, I was shopping at Children's Place in a strip mall in a very rough neighborhood in S FW, making a purchase at the counter, all went well, my teenaged son and I exited and returned to our car. He then said, "Mom! Did you see that guy standing outside looking in?!" I was surprised and never saw a thing. Apparently the male cashier looked up and looked at my son very concerned, and they both watched this guy. He said the guy looked mean. And what was I doing that whole time? Finishing my card transaction, totally oblivious! (Yes, I was carrying). Another time my youngest said, "Mom, did you see that guy in the store, he looked weird and was watching all the girls!" Again, I was carrying, but was trying to find some clothes in a hurry because it was a busy store that day. Learning from these two incidents, I have now told them to tell me when they're concerned when its happening, not afterwards! My point is, we can't be aware 100% of the time, use those extra eyes to your advantage. You'll be surprised at what they see when they learn their own situational awareness.
You should check out those links I posted above; that's more of less what they say as well.