Karen St. Jean, founder of Save My Grandchild http://savemygrandchild.com/
Did you know that five children die from child abuse per day?
Many people believe we have come a long way to eradicate violence and abuse against our children, but with the recent glut of articles on the deaths and abduction of children, I would argue we still have a long way to go.
Depressing statistics indicate that the violence is still prevalent and reported instances are on the rise – currently five children under tha age of four die every day…..every day….Our bellies are full, we are comfortable in a chair before the TV, we have a bed to sleep in tonight……but five children will hit the morgue TODAY! Child abuse, like domestic abuse, occurs at every socio economic level, across every ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at every level of education.
Protecting children and preventing abuse rests with every grandparent in every home.
There are two types of safety education that work well for parents and children and that are easily added to their family’s safety plans: pre-planned discussions and spontaneous opportunities to teach.
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The first focuses on a particular issue and reinforces it over a period of time, say over a couple weeks to a month. For example, an appropriate safety lesson for a family with young children (ages five and younger) is to help them memorize key telephone numbers, such as Mom’s cell, the home phone, and grandparents’ or caregivers’ numbers. Without making it obvious that it’s a safety lesson, teaching a child a telephone number can be made into a song or a game and can be easily practiced. There is no magic age to begin safety discussions.
Perpetrator is Someone the Child Knows
Statistics show that 92% of all sexual exploitation of children is perpetuated by someone whom the victim knows. Parents need to give their children the vocabulary by having chats with them so they know the words to say should they need to “tell”. There are numerous tips on what words/conversations parents can use, but the best ones are those that make up a normal day in life. For example, while getting a toddler or youngster ready for their bath, it can be a good opportunity to discuss parts of the body that should always be covered and parts that don’t need to be covered and why the covered parts are “private.”
Take Action to Prevent Child Abuse
We must come together to recognize that protecting our children starts with us. We mourn with those who have lost loved ones because of child abuse, neglect or abandonment; we celebrate those who have survived it, and we encourage those who work to end violence and injustice for children and parents everywhere to stay strong!
Please visit SaveMyGrandchild.com http://savemygrandchild.com/
