From the day your kid is born, your protective hands ensure that they are always out of danger. You make sure that every nook and cranny of your house is child proof. But, as they grow up, do you take steps to guarantee their safety from child abuse? Unfortunately, child abuse is rampant nowadays. There are many things you can do to keep your kids safe. Here are a few things you can do to save your kids from the threat of pedophiles.
1. Understand That Abuse Can Happen Anywhere
Beware of strangers is what we teach our kids. But, today you need to be alert even when you are with a familiar person. These days, the perpetrator can be a known family member or a friend. It can be a teenager or an adult. Also, the place where child abuse occurs is often familiar to the victim. You need to talk to school authorities about their safety plans for kids. A perfect foolproof system does not exist. But, at least, it will encourage them to take care of such things. Keep in mind that the signs of abuse are not limited to physical injuries. Significant changes in sleeping or eating, mood swings, and strange behavior can be counted as signs of child abuse. If you notice any of these, do not hesitate to talk to your kids.
2. Talk To Your Kids About Their Day
Develop a habit of talking to them every day. This is important to build trust with your kids. Just because you are their father/mother does not mean that they will have the confidence to share everything with you. They should feel and believe that you are there for them anytime. Encourage them to talk to you about their day. Thus, make them comfortable discussing any topic with you.
3. Know Your Kid’s Friends
Don’t try to be a no-fun dad/mom. Your kid’s friends should not be strangers to you. You should know their friends and their parents. Be aware of places where they usually hang out. Keep an eye on their activities in social media and what they see on the internet. Moreover, when you agree for a sleepover at a friend’s place, you should know their parents extremely well. Do not send them to strange places alone.
4. Beware Of Grooming Behavior
Child sexual offenders usually adopt this tactic. They manipulate the child and the family to gain their trust. This will increase their access to the victim without raising any suspicion. Seeing the relation the person shares with the family, the child may keep the abuse as a secret. Recognize these dangers of the grooming process. Teach your kids that abuse can come from someone they trust.
5. Teach Them Safe Touch And Bad Touch
This is the most important lesson to teach your kid. Safe touch is the one in the areas that are not covered by the bathing suit. Any touch in the areas covered up by an underwear is a bad touch. These touches make kids scared or uncomfortable. Ensure that your kids know this. If anyone does bad touch, instruct them to go to a grown-up for help. Even though this is the rule of thumb, you should encourage your child to say no to any touch that makes him or her uncomfortable.
6. Believe Your Child
Most importantly, believe your child. When he or she complains about someone, even if you know that person well, do not ignore your kid’s concerns. Listen to what they have to say and address their fears. If you take them lightly, they may not share such incidents in the future, which may have catastrophic consequences.
