Today is being celebrated worldwide, as International Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse.
It is a day where globally, persons are being asked to do their part to protect our children from violence and other forms of harm and abuse.
Unfortunately over 70% of abuse happens in the home...so this post is aimed at adults and/or parents and guardians...but young adults ought to read this, as it provides them with excellent preparation tips for them becoming great parents.
Here are some tips that you can use, so that you can better play your part on International Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse and beyond:
1) Protect children whether they're yours or not
2) Always encourage a child...knowing that he/she is tomorrow's future
3) Help your child to differentiate amongst the different types of abuse and create an atmosphere in your home, where your child can tell you about anything and not be afraid.
[E.g. abuse can be emotional, psychological, verbal, physical and sexual...
a) Psychological and emotional abuse affects the mind and emotional health of the child...it involves actions and words that make him/her feel self-conscious, afraid and have low self esteem
b) Verbal abuse is when the child is continuously told bad things about himself (whether or not they're true) and never praised for the good he/she does, or for his/her accomplishments
c) Sexual abuse is when someone has sexual contact with the child (this includes touching the child on, or in the area of his/her genitals - penis or vagina or other sexual organs - breast or skin, that suggests sexual intent)].
4) Don't have children whose welfare you cannot attend to for at least eighteen (18) years of their life
5) Bring children up in a healthy home- where both parents love each other and work together in harmony (spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially) and in harmony with their children
6) Teach and lead by example.
E.g. teach children how to resolve conflicts, peacefully, without tearing away at the emotional and physical well-being of the persons involved in the conflict.
7) Read and study God's word with your child
[The best gift that you can give your child is:
a) Your being an example of Christ in your home. (To be this example, you must first have a personal relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ)
b) Instructing your child/children in and by God's word:
Telling and showing children how much God values them by Him loving them - by Him waking them up each morning, providing them with health, sunshine, rain, the different Seasons, plants, money for the family's sustenance; parents for security, protection and guidance and friends
c) Telling them and reinforcing how much God loved them by giving them His only Son who died in their stead
d) Making God so large in your home, that your child has a desire to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as his/her personal Saviour from an early age.
(Him/her doing this, saves him/her from a mountain of ills, as their appetite for rebellion and to practice unsafe habits will decrease, when they are assured of Christ's constant love for them and His abiding in them)
8a) Teach your child about "good and bad touches" and help them to say the correct name of their genital organs
8b) Encourage your child/children to inform on other children and adults who may touch them in ways that make them uncomfortable ("bad touches")
8c) If your child is anxious or dislikes to go to another adult's home..find out why and don't force the child to go.
That person may be an abuser and the child doesn't quite know how to tell you that that adult is abusing him/her.
9) Never leave your child in the care of someone you don't know, or for whose background you haven't properly checked.
(Please remember that your country's sexual predators' registry is there for this purpose...please check it to see if your intended care giver's name is on that register...and if it is, keep your child away from that person)
10) Seek help/advice from parents whom you admire, re how to bring up your child to become a mature, responsible and accountable adult
11) Last but not least, please learn how to love your child and accept him/her for the beautiful person that God has loan you.
Ensure that in all aspects of your life, you can truly tell the Lord Jesus Christ, upon His return, that you have been a good parent.
We, at Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog, wish you a Happy International Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse!
We hope that you will continue to play your part in fostering a wholesome environment for the raising of our children.
(We'd like to thank Mwesigwa for the use of his Flickr inset photo, entitled,"Family Photo - Christmas 2005", showing the Anderson family photo during a staff Christmas dinner, in 2005).
Gillian
Sources Include
Fact Sheet, "November 19: International Day for Prevention of Child Abuse", via the American Psychological Association, accessed November 19,2012
