Let’s face it as much as we want everything to be picture perfect in life the reality can be quite different. We want to believe our children can go to school, play on the playground and go to another child’s house without fear of sexual abuse, but unfortunately in this day and age we must teach our children how to protect themselves from the real threat of sexual predators. So how do you empower children to protect themselves? First, we must teach them to respect their bodies and to understand that although they are small they can still be in charge of who touches them.
That means a child should not be forced to kiss their grandmother or give their uncle a hug. It means they should understand that they can kindly say no to physical contact that they dislike; no matter the reason. In “My Body’s Mine” the author empowers children to speak up for themselves using a cute and catchy rhyme.
My body’s mine
From neck to knee,
And no one’s free
To be touching me.
From head to toe,
My body’s mine.
I love my body
And it’s all mine.
The book also goes on to explain what children should do if they don’t feel safe like yell, run and tell. The topic of sexual abuse is a difficult one to discuss at any age, but I think this book does a great job of explaining this topic to small children. When you teach your child that it’s okay to say no to unwanted hugs and kisses, (even those from well-meaning family members), you begin to teach them to have a voice, to understand when others do not have their best interests at heart, and how to scream and shout if something does happen.
If you like this book you can also check out two other books by Kayla J. W. Marnach including My Actions Matter and I Can Do That. I Can Do That focuses on teaching children how to maintain self-control. It includes simple techniques that children can utilize to help themselves calm down during times of distress. It also provides a conversation point, a way to talk about those wiggles and twitches that can be so difficult for some children to control.
Lastly, My Actions Matter, introduces children to the concept of impact and how their actions impact the lives and feelings of those around them. This book, told from a child’s point of view, focuses on being kind and respectful to other people and other living things.
Kindness is a core value. It’s the reason we reach out to others with empathy and support. Kindness shows itself in many forms. You can bake someone a pie, offer to get groceries for a neighbor, or leave feedback on websites like Amazon or domyessay reviews. We don’t need overt acts of kindness. Small acts are just as valuable.
All three books are currently available on Amazon.