Catters' stories of their childhood fears remind me of a talk I had with two young friends (age 13 and 11) last year.

We had been watching the Mr. Bean movie where the little boy is alone on the trains of France and can't get back with his father. During the break, I told the girls that if they are ever travelling and get separated from the family, they should look for a person in uniform with a badge from the railroad or airline they are travellng with. Then they should tell the person "Would you please help me? I'm lost."

The girls regarded me with eyes like saucers. This was news to them! To them, the idea of being lost was terrifying and THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!

Their mother listened and cried "Yes!"

At that moment I realized that we think our kids are sophisticated, but we are much better at scaring them than at helping them cope.