Beware of This Goodwill Donation Mistake That Could Be Putting Your Kids at Risk

Modern parents and caregivers are typically very careful about protecting their children's personal information. Between eschewing trends that involve embroidering their child's name on their backpack, to keeping their little faces from appearing on social media, most adults are aware of those big ticket items that child safety experts warn about when it comes to keeping their kids safe.

But, according to one expert, there may be a small thing that we're overlooking when it comes to shielding our children from those who wish to do them harm, and it's such a low-tech risk that many of us (myself included) have never even considered it before.

Continue reading to learn why one family therapist is purchasing old children's books from Goodwill, and what she wants parents and caregivers everywhere to know about their kid's personal data.

Family therapist and TikToker @thechristinahall has a message for parents after she says she stumbled upon two workbooks that had been donated to Goodwill, both of which contained personal and private information about the children who used to own them. She explained her finds in a TikTok video, holding up a copy of the The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book, which she said she purchased to protect the identity of the child it belonged to.

As she flipped through the book, she shared some of the items that had been filled out in the workbook, which included personal details like the child's name, the street she lives on, and even some private medical details, prompting Hall to say, "I know everything about this little girl right now."

While Hall nabbed the books to protect the identity of the minor who wrote in them, many of the commenters on her page shared their fears over what could've happened if someone else had gotten their hands on the book.

"My worst nightmare someone knowing all this about my kid and using it in an evil way," one parent wrote.

Many shared their thoughts on how this could've happened, with one parent saying they thought it was likely that they didn't even mean for this keepsake to end up in their donation pile.

And another one shared just how easily something like this could've happen to them, writing: "I try to check my books before donating but sometimes there’s just too many things in your head you just miss it."

While there were some commenters who were quick to jump to judgement, Hall's video certainly did prove a point: many of us don't think about what might be in the items we're donating, especially when we're dropping off a collection of things that belong to someone else.

You always hear those exciting stories about secondhand shoppers who find hidden gems, or else someone's long forgotten stash of cash in something they've picked up while thrifting. But this message serves as a good reminder that the things we donate may have a high sentimental value, even if they aren't worth a lot of money, like an old pile of children's books.

I know that this will definitely make me look twice at my kids' old books before I pass them along, especially in those with pages where they're invited to contribute a little bit about themselves.

Hopefully Hall's message inspires others to do the same!