Increasingly, we read reports of child abuse in the papers and particularly sexual abuse. It is extremely important we educate our children about sex. Unfortunately this is one topic we naturally shy away from as parents. I do not recall hearing so much about this as a kid as well. But this is why the perpetrators are really gaining grounds; they catch their ‘preys’ most times quite naive, uninformed and with no understanding of the consequences.
Right from the tender ages, a child must first understand that certain parts of the body are private and should not be touched by anyone. A child should shout and report any attempt by anyone and should be made to understand that anyone who says ‘don’t tell mummy or daddy’ does not mean well for him/her.
Unfortunately, most of these ‘predators’ are people very close by, sometimes people that have access to our homes such as family members, domestic assistants, neighbours e.t.c. In some cases, it could even be drivers, gatemen, class teachers, lesson teachers and what have you. The enemy is often not far- fetched, but right inside our homes and around our environment. Let’s watch out!
This is applicable to both the male and the female child, though agreeably, the female child is perhaps more exposed. We should continuously educate our children and protect them from such risks as much as possible. Suggested ways include not leaving them home alone or with a potential ‘predator’, not allowing your under age child walk the streets alone, ensuring your children are decently dressed and not unduly exposed, warning your girl child never to sit on a boy/man’s laps.
We cannot be too vigilant when it comes to watching out for our children. We should even observe their reaction to people around. When they are avoiding somebody or being unnecessarily familiar with somebody, we want to find out why. It is possible there is no issue, which is what we hope in the first place, but we just need to check.
Most of all we need to daily commit these children to God’s hands to take them over completely and guide their paths for us.
Prayer point: O Lord, continually guide our children and direct their paths. Let them never fall prey to the predator in Jesus name. Amen.
1 Corinthians 6:18 ‘Flee from sexual immorality ....’
This takes me back to a post you shared a few days back talking about being your child's best friend and first teacher.
ReplyDeleteThere is a foundation that needs to be set and set right. The child must be free enough to share experiences with the parents and also as parents, we shouldnt wave everything a child says aside, 'saying oh! that's not possible'.
...Telling a child off that way may mean giving the predator or potential predator yet another chance! God help and keep us.Amen.
Sola, thank you for bringing in that aspect of not waving aside whatever your child says. It just might be a pointer to something. It is worth investigating the slightest incidence a child reports. A mother noticed her 7yr old son's rude attitude to her driver and enquired from the boy. He simply said the driver doesn't deserve any respect because he had pulled down his boxers earlier that day and touched his pennis. Now what is the driver doing going off his way to touch a boys pennis? But the boy could report the incidence because he had been warned by mummy that nobody should touch his 'private' part. And thank God for observant mummies!
ReplyDeleteAlso, for younger children particularly, we need to pay attention to unusual marks on their bodies or sign of pain anywhere. A mother once noticed her 6yr old's wobbly movements, and on investigation found that she had been abused by her teacher. There is just so much happening out there, we have to be vigilant. May God help us!