We are wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season!
During the holidays we invite you to work with us to make sure all children have fun but also stay healthy and safe, it is when visitors abound, schedules get hectic, and parents are often overwhelmed, that all types of child abuse increase. So now is the perfect time to take a moment, slow down, and read on to learn how to better protect the children in your life.
Maintaining safety at home is something that cannot be accomplished by a single person but something that needs participation from everyone in the family.
So, what can we do?
Talk to your child:
Discuss boundaries with your child. Teach them that their body is their own and no one has a right to touch their body or take pictures of them without permission. Kids must be able to recognize what they feel safe and not safe with and they must know that it is ok to express this and say 'no'. (They must also learn to respect other people's boundaries).
'The rule of three':
To prevent dangerous situations, make sure that there are two adults and one kid, or two kids and one adult at all times. 80% of sexual abuse occurs in one child – one adult situations. If you do need to leave your child alone with someone, let the person with them know you may pop in to check on them. Keeping those times “observable and interruptible” is the safer way to manage alone time.
Always ask first rule:
Alongside your family’s other safety rules, establish an 'Always Ask First' rule. This means that your kids should always ask you or the adult in charge before anyone can give them something, take them somewhere, or do something with them.
Identify 5 Safe Persons:
Help your kid to identify Safe Persons around them. They could be family members or other adults in their lives. Speaking to a safe adult can help a child feel listened to, protected and safe. It is very important for children to know who to call in case of an emergency, if they feel uncomfortable or if they are in danger.
We would like to share with you our Holiday Safety Hand, where your kids can write the names anf phone numbers of their 5 safe persons.
During the holidays we invite you to work with us to make sure all children have fun but also stay healthy and safe, it is when visitors abound, schedules get hectic, and parents are often overwhelmed, that all types of child abuse increase. So now is the perfect time to take a moment, slow down, and read on to learn how to better protect the children in your life.
Maintaining safety at home is something that cannot be accomplished by a single person but something that needs participation from everyone in the family.
So, what can we do?
Talk to your child:
Discuss boundaries with your child. Teach them that their body is their own and no one has a right to touch their body or take pictures of them without permission. Kids must be able to recognize what they feel safe and not safe with and they must know that it is ok to express this and say 'no'. (They must also learn to respect other people's boundaries).
'The rule of three':
To prevent dangerous situations, make sure that there are two adults and one kid, or two kids and one adult at all times. 80% of sexual abuse occurs in one child – one adult situations. If you do need to leave your child alone with someone, let the person with them know you may pop in to check on them. Keeping those times “observable and interruptible” is the safer way to manage alone time.
Always ask first rule:
Alongside your family’s other safety rules, establish an 'Always Ask First' rule. This means that your kids should always ask you or the adult in charge before anyone can give them something, take them somewhere, or do something with them.
Identify 5 Safe Persons:
Help your kid to identify Safe Persons around them. They could be family members or other adults in their lives. Speaking to a safe adult can help a child feel listened to, protected and safe. It is very important for children to know who to call in case of an emergency, if they feel uncomfortable or if they are in danger.
We would like to share with you our Holiday Safety Hand, where your kids can write the names anf phone numbers of their 5 safe persons.
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Please click on the button below to download the file:
Instructions:
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