Reagan-era "stranger danger" panic has done so much harm to americans' sense of community. It cemented the idea that only the nuclear family could be trusted with the care of the child, deterred people from cooperative living with an extended community, and continues to place abuse victims in danger by perpetuating the misconception that most child abuse is done by strangers rather than someone they know. It is in our best interest to become more interdependent than we were raised to be.
Caution is important, but like OP says, you need to practice it with relatives as much as with strangers and try not to go so overboard that it turns into debilitating paranoia and isolation.
vodkamomma
