> Nobody wants to be the one parent out of a thousand who has their kid scooped up off the street

I agreed with you ... because I misread your comment as being concerned that the cops would come pick up your kid (like happened here in TFA). My (semi-legitimate) fear is that I'll be harassed as a parent for letting my kids do normal things like walk around the neighborhood. That'd be the only reason I might not encourage it.

Your kid is much more likely to be picked up by the cops over handwringing like this than to be kidnapped.