It’s Child Abuse Prevention Month and you can join the movement so every child has a @greatchildhood.
By Matt Feldman
(Editor’s note – On Tuesday, April 7, Prevent Child Abuse America is launching a Twitter storm and invites you to join them. Just send a Tweet with @greatchildhood in the copy. This one small act could help.)
We all want all children to have great childhoods and, as grandparents, we especially want to—and typically do—play a very important role in their lives. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, which spurs conversation about additional roles we can play in ensuring great childhoods for all children.
What the pinwheel represents
Prevent Child Abuse America’s pinwheel engenders an emotional attachment to happy childhood memories, and inspires many to create happy childhoods for all children. Since 2008, we have distributed more than 4 million pinwheels nationwide and have seen pinwheel-related activity in every state, even in a few other countries.
“As we continue our work to make an impact on the lives of children and families, we hope that others grow to recognize and celebrate the pinwheel in the same way that we do today,” said Jim Hmurovich, President and & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America. “While the pinwheel symbolizes the great childhoods we want for all children, it’s important to note that it cannot move by itself. We need people to be the force that moves the pinwheel to bring about real change for abused children in the United States.”
Grandparents play a crucial role
We’re happy to report that grandparents are among our most enthusiastic supporters; and, in the U.S., more than two million grandparents are raising grandchildren on a full-time basis, while tens of millions more are caring for their grandchildren on a daily basis.
What you can do
So as the nation turns its attention in April to child abuse prevention, we encourage all to think about the contribution each of us has to contribute to a happy childhood for our grandchildren, and all grandchildren. There are things we can do:
- Take the time to do something interactive: reading books, playing or making-up games, taking trips to museums or parks, baking cookies, or making your own cards. What you do is less important than simply making the time to do it—the attention is invaluable to that child’s development.
- Offer to give tired parents a break by offering to watch a child while Mom and Dad take time for themselves.
- Volunteer for a local child-serving agency, such as the Prevent Child Abuse America chapter in your state: http://pcadb.cyberwoven.com/public/chapters/index.cfm
“Grandparents are very important people in a child’s life; bringing their personal love to enrich the happy and nurturing environment that every child has a right to experience,” said Hmurovichwith
Even if you read this after April 7th, you can still forward this article and send a tweet with the hashtag @greatchildhood to make a difference.
Matt Feldman
Matt Feldman is Director of Marketing at Prevent Child Abuse America, in charge of the national Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign.