I'm an ex-CIA officer and mom, here are tips for keeping your kid safe

I’m a former CIA officer – here are the things you should NEVER let your kids do if you want to keep them safe

  • Tracy Walder worked as a spy for several years and served several tours overseas
  • The mom-of-one has swapped her fieldwork for a desk job in national security
  • She advises parents to look up everyone who is involved in their child’s life

A former CIA officer and FBI agent has revealed her incredibly strict rules for keeping children safe – including performing background checks on teachers.

Tracy Walder, 44, from Dallas, Texas, worked as a spy for several years, even operating at a counterterrorism center during 9/11 and serving several tours overseas on confidential missions.

Recently, she turned her expertise to the complicated topic of child safety, posting a helpful TikTok video in which she explained the somewhat extreme measures she goes to keep her own eight-year-old daughter safe.

In the clip, the protective mother shared her go-to tips including Googling her child’s teachers and coaches and locking up her prescription medication and alcohol.


Tracy Walder, who is a former CIA and FBI agent, has revealed her controversial parenting tips – including performing background checks on teachers

Keeping kids safe: Ex-CIA agent’s advice on protecting young children 

She explained that she bans her child from attending sleep away camp, walking to and from school by herself, going to the restroom solo in a public spaces and playing unsupervised.

As a concerned mother added that she always locks up her prescription medication and alcohol, and would never keep a gun in her home. 

Speaking about one of her more controversial tactics, Tracy said that she always Googles the parents of her daughter’s friends, and all of her child’s teachers and coaches.

Tracy admitted in her clip that although doing a thorough Google lookup may be ‘unpopular,’ she does it to ‘understand what [a person’s] social history is like’ because that doesn’t get picked up in background searches for jobs.

The former CIA agent remains hyper-vigilant when it comes to her daughter’s surroundings and opened up about it further during her interview. 

She shared that she friend-requests the people in her daughter’s life as well to learn more about them.

‘I also run checks on them through BeenVerified, Intelius and look up federal court cases in PACER, a free federal case lookup,’ she admitted. 

During her searches, Tracy has discovered that some of the people had financial, as well as personal issues. 

‘Social history is important,’ she explained.

‘One of my daughter’s teachers befriended me on social and I always found his social media odd – not criminal, but strange.

‘He was constantly talking about how much he hated his job and how he partied all the time.

Sharing her top advice, Tracy says to research and befriend anyone who might come near your child. ‘Google all of your children’s friends’ parents, all teachers, coaches, etc.,’ she advised


‘Sharing a throwback with you today! The first photo (L) is May 2000, the day I left for CIA. Picture two (R) is the day I graduated from Quantico,’ she wrote in the caption

‘He’s now sitting in jail, convicted for 20 years on federal porn charges.’

When it comes to your kids, Tracy’s strongest opinion is simple: trust absolutely no one.

‘I mean [do not trust them] ever,’ she confessed.

‘Trust is earned, never given blindly and fully all at once.

‘People find my point of view on trust offensive because no one wants to think they aren’t trustworthy.

‘I have many wonderful trustworthy friends and my daughter has had some very trustworthy teachers, but I never give people my full trust right away.’

Sharing her video online to her 12,800 followers, she garnered more 857 likes and hundreds of comments.

Johnny said: ‘You are a great parent. No one should dispute these tips.’

Steve added: ‘I agree with you. It’s unfortunate our world has changed so much.’ 

Someone else commented: ‘Social history above and beyond the background check. We concur.’

Kat wrote: ‘All of these rules apply in our home as well!’

Sharing her video online to her 12,800 followers, she garnered more than 857 likes and hundreds of comments

Another follower said: ‘I fully agree with every one.’

‘These are great. Thank you!’ Lacey added.

‘Thank you! As a mom these tips are essential for us,’ Lou wrote.

‘Good parenting,’ Maria commented.

Tracy worked at the CIA for five years and then became a special agent at the FBI which she explains is ‘very rare for a woman.’ 

Although she ‘loved the counterterrorism mission,’ she didn’t want to remain overseas any longer.

She admitted that due to her background she’s ‘seen a lot,’ and she now wants to focus on ‘protecting’ her little one. 

In recent years she has swapped her high-action fieldwork for a desk job in national security.

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