Monday, January 28, 2013

For Parents: Protecting Your Children from Abuse


Check out these totally sensible tips from an Australian mom (and survivor of childhood sexual abuse) on how to protect your children:

She has the full explanation at her blog, but the spark notes version is this:

1. Have no family secrets... abusers often use secrets against their victims.
2. Don't force children to show affection to other family members
3. Talk to your children about their bodies.... knowledge is power! Keep it age appropriate and let them know that there are special parts that no one is allowed to touch, except if they are quite young and need some help from a parent to clean up, or maybe a doctor.
4. Role play situations....to practice saying "no" if necessary.
5. Teach about feelings
6. Have a family code word... if your kid ever calls, texts, or says the code word to you that's your cue to get them to safety immediately.
7. Use common sense...with who dresses, changes, cares for, sleeps with or near your kid.
8. Let them know you will always believe them.
9. Trust your instincts
10. Be repetitive

These are fantastic tips, not only for protecting your children from abuse, but also just to raise them to have happy healthy lives!
Family secrets are tough to deal with, and facing them out in the open helps when the going gets rough (think funerals, fights, legal settlements, etc.)
Knowing your own body is important and is incredibly helpful with preventative medicine later in life.
Accurately communicating feelings from an early age can go a long way in developing healthy interpersonal relationships later in life.
And if your kids know that you'll always believe them, they'll feel empowered to tell the truth and respect the power of their words and feelings. And they'll know that they always have an advocate.

Check out sevencherubs.com for the in depth version!