Mom Shares The Unsettling Reason She'll Never Let Her Kids Have Sleepovers
“Monsters don’t look like monsters, monsters look like really nice guys.”
Jacob Lund / Canva Pro It’s not uncommon for parents to let their kids have sleepovers with their friends, as many children relish having quality time to connect with their peers.
However, unless you personally know and trust their friend's parents, you might want to reevaluate letting your child stay the night in a stranger’s home.
One mom took to TikTok to share why her kids don't go to sleepovers.
Randi Burkett has a strict policy against sleepovers for her kids and while many parents might think her extreme, her life experience proves otherwise.
Burkett shared how she used to work in a level-5 men’s prison, which is the highest-level security facility. While there, she was exposed to many violent offenders.
One day, she was directed to the C-dorm of the facility, which was the section where child molesters were housed.
“They do have to have their own special dorm because if not, they will all be killed, which… what a shame that would be,” Burkett stated.
Her first day meeting the inmates, Burkett said it was far from what she would’ve expected. She said they were all “so nice” and “extremely respectful.” She was stunned by the well-mannered courtesy she encountered among some of the most disturbing criminals.
“They never gave me a hard time, they never harassed me— probably because I'm not their type,” she explained. “That was probably the scariest thing… I think that we think that these monsters look like monsters. They don’t.”
Burkett’s experience brings awareness to a core misconception of the malicious offenders living among us.
She emphasized that most of us would likely never suspect the charming, well-mannered man to have such a dark and corrupt mind, but it's their goal to be inconspicuous.
“There was pastors in there, there was judges in there, there was doctors in there, there was men that had daughters in there… you just don’t know anybody, and you can’t trust anybody, because people can have a good face but you have no idea what demon is hiding underneath that face,” Burkett said.
In fact, nearly 750,000 registered sex offenders live in the U.S., and 80% of convicted adult rapists reported they have molested children.
Although statistics are a bit unreliable, it's estimated at least 1.2 million pedophiles currently live in the U.S., and there are likely more. Another strong point that Burkett emphasized is that not all child molesters are men, and although the percentage is significantly lower, there are female offenders.
“It was a woman for me, at a sleepover,” one TikToker shared in the comments. “And no one believed me when I told. So my kids don’t do sleepovers because I trust NO one.”
These predators are smarter than we think they are, which is why we need to be even smarter.
Most of the time, they know how to keep a low profile and manipulate others to appear unsuspecting.
According to Mental Health Center of America, most pedophiles can be characterized as trustworthy and respectable, and they particularly prey on kids who seem troubled or in need of affection. Rather than directly initiating assault, a lot of the time they coerce minors into sexual settings by adopting trust and friendship, essentially grooming the child.
That being said, it’s crucial that parents keep a close eye on their kids and the individuals who seem to be just a bit too nice to them.
Most children have surely been advised to avoid strangers at all costs, coining the phrase “stranger danger,” but what about the adults who aren’t strangers that no one would suspect?
While it’s important to not live in fear, parents should be cautious before letting their children stay the night in another’s home.
“You have to look out for your kid no matter what,” Burkett expressed. “Kids are so vulnerable, and they trust anybody.”
A prime and popular example of such disturbing crimes going unnoticed for over a decade, despite countless accusations, was Ted Bundy. Bundy was not the profile of what many would have assumed to be a serial killer, rapist, and pedophile, yet he got away with so many tragic crimes. It is because of stories like Bundy’s that we should avoid placing assumptions on what we would expect these monsters to look like and listen to women like Burkett who have witnessed their manipulation firsthand.
Parents should be constantly aware of who enters their kids' lives, and that includes the parents and family members of their friends.
“We are all that our kids have,” Burkett said. “We are their protector, we are their provider, we are their advocate, we are their voice when they don't have one.”
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, harassment, or violence, you are not alone. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline 24/7 at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or chat online at RAINN.
Francesca Duarte is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human-interest, adventure and spirituality topics.