Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul.”― Dave Pelzer (Author, A Child Called “It”)
Every child has the right to live a safe and happy life!
Every child has the right to say “NO” if uncomfortable with an action, or touch, even if by an adult or other child.
Every child has the right to:
Control who touches your body! Only you, your parents, or doctors (with a parent present) have a right to touch you in places a bathing suit covers.
Say ‘no’ to anyone who touches you in any way, on any part of your body, making you feel uncomfortable, strange, or bad!
Say ‘no’' to anyone who touches you. Tell them to stop! Move away and tell them you will tell your parents, friends, or other adults.
Say “no” to anyone who tries to touch you, or who tries to get you to touch them, in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, icky, or bad!
Tell others if you see someone touching one of your friends, a brother or sister, or anyone else in a way that is wrong or that you think may be wrong!
Tell if someone talks to you in a way that makes you uncomfortable!
Tell if someone tries to show you a picture, or a book, show you an internet site, ask you to watch a movie of naked people, or ask you to see or watch people acting in ways that make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, or are touching each other in ways you don’t understand!
Tell your parents, a teacher, a policeman, or any other adult you trust if anything happens to you that makes you uncomfortable.
If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or does anything you don’t like, you have a right to tell others, even if they say it’s a secret, that it’s tattling, or that they will hurt you or someone you love if you tell. You have a right to tell if anyone threatens you!
Tell someone if someone says they are sorry or didn’t mean to do what they did!
"What distresses me at times is that I meet a lot of people in their 40's, 50's, 60's, who still say they're a victim of child abuse” (Dave Pelzer, writer)
“No child should ever experience the feeling of terror, fear, or abuse. Let’s stay united in raising our children right, safe from any harm”. (Child Insider) “Children are pure. Adults are not”.
Children should never suffer from abuse…or neglect.
Some parents may not physically hit or harm their children, yet they neglect their children. Neglect is when a parent does not or is unable to provide a child’s physical needs for clothing, food, or shelter.
But parents can also neglect their children emotionally. This may be by ignoring them, not ensuring that their child is clean (affects the child’s health & reactions toward them from others in society), not addressing their child’s health issues, or abandoning a child at times when the child needs them. Neglect is seen when a parent’s self-interests result in absences, or ‘absent parent’ situations. The parent is communicating the child is not a priority, and this can affect a child’s self-esteem, their ability to have empathy for others or their lack of ability to form positive attachments with others. Parental interest & participation in a child’s life set the stage for that child’s future relationship strengths or weaknesses.
Children are our future and the most precious gift we have. Yet, children are often abused, ignored, neglected, or treated with little value. Parents must learn skills to ‘discipline’ children (which is to demonstrate and teach what is appropriate and inappropriate. It is not to beat or abuse into submission). As models teachers and instructors, parents can guide and direct children to know what are acceptable & unacceptable behaviors. If you believe a child has been, or is being, abused, it is the LAW that you report suspected or actual abuse immediately to Child Protective Services or the Police.
Children must be protected, even against their own family members, other adults, friends or peers, other children, educators, strangers, or others who may hold or exert manipulation or a power position over a child.
If you truly want to know a nation’s true values, their ‘moral compass’, not just their spoken or ‘professed values’, all you have to do is watch the way they treat, or mistreat, their children, their elderly, their poor, their weakest, their ill, and the most powerless.
If you see children and adults dedicated, and actively attempting, to protect the weak & unprotected, those are people of character putting their values into action. They are the true conscience of your nation.
People may not always tell you how they feel about others, but they always show their feelings and values by how they treat others. If you want to know how a person, or a nation, feels about you or others, watch what they do, not what they say.
“No person, whether child or adult, should ever live in fear of having physical violence or sexual abuse directed at them.
“I work with children who have been abused, or who have formed attachment disorders due to abuse or neglect. I also work with adults who were abused as children (or when they were adults) so they recognize that they are survivors, that they no longer need to carry that overwhelming burden of abuse, to learn and find the strength needed to stand up for themselves, to discover ways to better protect themselves, and to move forward in life. One of the most effective tools I use in my practice to address abuse and trauma is EMDR. It helps people ‘let go’ (not forget, but allows a person not to constantly re-live the abuse), allows people to be in therapy for a briefer period, and allows the ability to move forward more quickly. Even if a part of a person’s childhood (or adulthood) has been ‘stolen’ from them by abuse, I want my clients to understand that there ARE paths to begin to build the life they want, that is safe and fulfilling. They have more control than they realize and I want them to know that.” - Clifton Fuller
Knowledge empowers. Find out as much as possible regarding child care, abuse, or neglect. Stay safe! Seek Help! Protect children!
Resources for further information, resources, and research:
Texas Dept of Family and Protective Services 1-800-252-5400. Protects children, the elderly, and people with disabilities from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. TDFPS protects the health and safety of children in daycare, as well as foster care and other types of 24-hour care.
Get Parenting Tips: GetParentingTips.com and podcasts at Get Parenting Tips Podcast
Child Welfare Gateway (great resource listing many multiple resources for child protection)
Child Abuse Reporting Lines (for each state)
Child Abuse Prevention Services Statement on how to identify and recognize abuse.
Crisis Hotline phone numbers (lists multiple organizations)
Report child pornography: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tip-line or call 1.800.THE.LOST (1.800.843.5678). Cyber Tip-line is the nation’s centralized reporting system to report suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extrafamilial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex trafficking, and more.
National Parenting Helpline: Call 1.855.4.A.PARENT (1.855.427.2736) to speak with a trained National Parent Helpline advocate who can listen to you, offer emotional support, and build on your parenting strengths.
National Runaway Safe-line: Call 1.800.786.2929 (live chat, emails, forum) or text 66008 for free, confidential services and support. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Financial assistance for grandparents raising grandchildren: Kinship Care Contacts & Programs to access info for State officials and kinship care-specific services offered by State child welfare departments.
Connections between animal cruelty and child abuse: National Sheriff’s Association Research Study
Addressing abuse of infants by parents overwhelmed with a newborn baby’s constant crying. Understanding and staying calm during The Time of Purple Crying
RAINN (Rape and Incest National Network) operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (phone hotline) and a 24/7 online hotline addressing anything related to sexual violence. 800-656-HOPE (4673).
Sesame Street-Helping Kids with Traumatic Experiences. Activities (birth to 7 years old) designed to help young children cope with traumatic stressors in their lives.
Some abuse occurs because a parent or caregiver is not aware of the appropriate development stages of a child. Download this FREE CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) development tracker. Follow a child’s normal development from 2 months to 5 years. Tips to encourage a child’s development; or if concerned that a child is not reaching development milestones. Tools for Tracking (by age). Milestone Tracking App. Childhood Development Videos. 1 in 6 children has developmental delays or disabilities. Children from families with low incomes, like those served by WIC, are at even greater risk. Find out how you can help.
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