Family shopping for Christmas tree at Christmas market

Keeping Your Kids Safe During the Holidays

Keep Your Child Safe From Sexual Abuse

Between November and January there are about a dozen holidays that you could celebrate, depending on your background or beliefs. These holidays provide opportunities for you to get together with friends and family and celebrate. You’ll want to keep your child’s safety as your top priority as you go to every party or event. It can be uncomfortable to think about any of your family members or friends sexually abusing your child, but you are your child’s best line of defense.

This holiday season, as you prepare to take your children to other’s homes, invite people into your home, or attend an event in the community, there are some easy things you can do to reduce the risk of your child being sexually abused, or from engaging in harmful sexual behavior, before, during, or after your festivities. You need to do what you can to keep your child safe, protected, and educated. The best way to do that is to plan ahead and think through what you need to do or say. So Let’s Talk about some tips:

Before You Go:

Planning ahead can make all the difference. That’s why we’ve created a checklist for you to go through before you head out to your next family dinner or festive party. We have this available to download below, so you can reference it as often as you need to for all the events you have coming up in the next few months. Let’s dig into that checklist so you can see what you need to do.

  • Make a list of potentially risky situations.

    It could be easy to let your imagination run away with you when thinking through potential risks. Instead of making a list of anything that could possibly go wrong, focus on what your child may be doing and the people, places, or things that may lead to issues. Whether it’s a sleepover with their cousins, something that occurs at a holiday party, or potentially being alone with someone older, you’ll want to think through the risks.

  • Talk to you kids about boundaries and consent.

    When children understand boundaries and consent they are less vulnerable to abuse and less likely to engage in harmful sexual behaviors. Even if you’ve had conversations about these topics before, it’s always good to review them before an event. It’s important for them to remember that they need to respect other people’s boundaries and consent, just as they should know that the boundaries they have and the consent they give or withhold deserves to be respected.

  • Create and discuss family rules.

    You probably already have family rules for everyday life, but during the holidays you may need to create some new ones with safety in mind. These may include expectations for when you aren’t around, what to do when someone asks them to do something they know is wrong, or reminding them to come to you when something happens that makes them uncomfortable.

  • Get the adults on the same page.

    Have open and honest conversations with any friends or family members who will be spending time with your child during the holidays. You can let them know what your rules are for your children, your dedication to preventing your child from being sexually abused, and ways that they can help.

  • Establish a safety plan with your kids.

    Let your child know what to do if they feel uncomfortable in a situation. Reinforce the idea that you are there to listen to anything and that you want to know if something has happened. While some of the things they talk to you about may not seem very significant, it’s important for you to listen. If they trust that you’ll be there for them during the small things, they’ll be more likely to talk to you about the big things.

During the Party:

If there are family members or friends who you haven’t seen or talked to in a while, it can be easy to shuffle your child out of the room so you can have some time with other adults. Or perhaps your child disappears the minute you walk in the door so they can go play and you don’t see them again until the end of the night. There’s a way to balance allowing you and your child to have fun and still keep them safe without hovering.

  • Don’t force them to give hugs.

    If they don’t want to hug your second uncle who they’ve never met, don’t make them. Allow them to say no and to show their affection on their terms. It can seem like a simple thing, but when you empower them to make choices about their bodies, it can make a big impact. When you give them the choice today, it lets them know that they have that same choice in the future. For example, today it’s not hugging your boss’s spouse, but tomorrow it could enable them to tell the person they’re dating "no" when they aren’t comfortable.

  • Check in on them frequently.

    This is especially important if they are spending one-on-one time with anyone—even if it’s someone you trust. Having significant amounts of time alone with another adult, teen, or child can potentially increase the risk that your child will be sexually abused or have inappropriate sexual behavior with other kids. Make sure that you know where they are, who they’re with, and check on what they’re doing a few times during the event.

  • Let them to choose their activities when possible.

    If they don’t want to go down to the basement to watch a movie, or upstairs to play video games, allow them to say no. It may seem like a small thing, but allowing your child to have a little more independence can actually benefit them in the long run. A confident child is less likely to be a target for a potential perpetrator.

  • Give them time or space alone if they need it.

    Large events can feel overwhelming for a child, even if they’re surrounded by people they know. There may be times when they want to step away from that hustle and bustle and take a minute alone or have a "time-out" from all the activity. Take the opportunity to listen to what they need and find a way to accommodate them when possible.

  • Be cautious of embarrassing them.

    Some children enjoy being teased or having silly stories told about them. Some children prefer not to be the center of attention and would rather not be goaded by the adults around them. If you’re teasing or embarrassing them, especially if they’re struggling with self-esteem issues, it can make them feel alienated and lonely. Feeling isolated and lonely is a risk factor for both being abused and sexually harming another child.

After You Get Home:

Whether it’s right after the party, the next morning, or a couple of days after, make sure to spend a little time with your child going over what happened, how they felt, and if there’s anything else they would like to discuss.

  • Play the "two good things and one bad thing" game.

    This was a suggestion that came from a mom who supports Saprea. Depending on the age of your child, it can be difficult to get more than one word answers out of them when you ask questions about what they did or if they had a good time. Instead, ask them to tell you two of their favorite things that happened and one thing that they didn’t like. This gives them permission to tell you if something was wrong or didn’t feel right, or if they just didn’t like the food.

  • Thank them.

    This is a great opportunity to tell them all the ways they met or exceeded your expectations. Because you went over what you expected of them beforehand and shared the rules you had for a given event, it’s a great time to compliment them on what they did well. You can mention specific things they did or said or tell them a nice thing that someone else said about them.

  • Think about next time.

    After an event, you should also take some time by yourself to process how it went, what you liked and didn’t like, what you learned, and what you’d like to do differently next time. Think through what your children said, what you observed, or anything else that sticks out to you. This will give you the chance to make any changes as you approach the next family gathering.

As you make your to-do list this holiday season for decorations, food, presents, or events, keep your child’s safety at the top of the list. With some planning ahead, open communication, and taking the time to really listen to your child, you’ll know what you need to do to reduce their risk of being sexually abused or engaging in harmful sexual behaviors.

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Male and Female college freshman walking in a corridor at their University

How to Protect Your College Freshman from Sexual Assault

Brad and Brittany are twins. They’ll both be headed to college in the fall at separate schools. As the time for them to leave draws closer, their parents want them to be prepared. So they sat down and made a list of all the things they wanted to make sure Brad and Brittany understood before they moved out. The list looked something like this.

  • Budgeting

  • Car maintenance

  • Work ethic

  • Taking personal responsibility

  • College textbooks will be ridiculously expensive

  • Sleep is important

  • Ramen should not be eaten for three meals a day

  • The danger of sexual assault

That list is everything that an average college student will encounter in their first year of school. Yes, sexual assault is that common. 20 to 25 percent of female undergraduates experience attempted or completed rape during their college careers. It affects male undergraduates as well, but at a lower rate.1 It’s important that your teen knows what to look for, what to do, and how to help if they are targeted or witness sexual assault.

But first, a definition: Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Examples include unwanted physical affection, groping, and rape.

As in child sexual abuse, the perpetrator of sexual assault is usually someone known to the victim. Brad and Brittany’s parents wanted to prevent their children from being victims OR perpetrators. In order to do that they need to teach their teens the following:

01

Consent

Understanding and respecting consent will immediately reduce the risk of a person becoming a victim or a perpetrator.

02

Clear and safe boundaries

If a person doesn’t understand how to set boundaries clearly, and enforce them, they are at a much higher risk of being sexually assaulted when they begin dating and during their freshman year of college.

03

Model Behavior

As parents, it is your job to show your child what a healthy, respectful relationship looks like. This helps them form their value system and influences their view of love.

04

Drugs and alcohol

Discussing alcohol and drug abuse openly and honestly is especially important when a teen is heading to college. They need to understand that using either may result in diminished judgment and their ability to make rational decisions. They also need to be aware of “date-rape drugs” that can be given to them unknowingly.

05

Digital Interactions

Teens need to understand the impact their digital interactions can have on their lives and the importance of safety. Reinforce simple things like keeping passwords private and not feeling obligated to send someone texts or photos. You may also want to address the legal ramifications of sexting (sending suggestive texts and photos) and how it can affect minors.

06

Communication

It’s important to let your teens know that if something were to happen that their value as your child doesn’t change and you will love them no matter what. Demonstrate that you can be a safe person to talk to if an assault were to happen, and that you will help them connect to the resources they need to heal.

Brad and Brittany’s parents didn’t sit down and go over everything at once. Instead, they took opportunities when they saw them to help prepare their children for life away from home. Even more, they made sure their children know to come to them when they have problems—whether it’s how long to cook a chicken or what to do if someone is giving them unwanted attention. The result? Their children will go to college feeling empowered, and always knowing they have someone to talk to.

References:
1. Vladutiu, C. J., Martin, S. L., & R. J. (2011). College- or University-Based Sexual Assault Prevention Programs: A Review of Program Outcomes, Characteristics, and Recommendations. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 12(2), 67-86.

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An Aunt’s Commitment to Becoming a Defender

My Nephew and Niece

I have one niece and one nephew. My niece calls me exclusively by the nickname that she picked up when she first started talking. In fact, it’s a little unsettling to hear my actual name come out of her mouth. She has been described as bossy, but that’s just a result of her parents instilling in her a strong sense of self and the ability to have her own voice. She is incredibly sweet, even though she has her days when she collapses into a “princess sob.” She is just like any other kid: frustrated by being told they can’t stay up past their bedtime to play more. I’m frequently amazed by how cool, funny, and smart she is, and she hasn’t even reached double digits! I’ll tell her that she’s my favorite girl in the whole world, and my heart melts whenever she tells me I’m her favorite girl in the world, too. From time to time, I’ll ask a rhetorical question like, “Do you know how much I love you?” (Obviously, a lot.) And she’ll respond with something like, “Yeah, from the dirt to the top of the galaxy.” To which I can only respond, “That’s right.” I want her to continue to be the happy, smart, hilarious girl that she is.

The most often used word in my nephew’s vocabulary is “truck.” He loves firetrucks, dump trucks, and garbage trucks. If you are holding him and he is holding a toy vehicle, you will inevitably become a highway. He drives trucks up my arm, over my shoulder, and around my neck, and it usually gets stuck in my hair, and I have to expertly extricate it before he starts grabbing for the toy and I wind up with a bald patch. He loves to lay completely flat, face to the floor, so that he can be eye level with his little make-believe racetrack. He may not say much, but he is slowly expanding his repertoire of truck-related sound effects: growling for a revved engine, high-pitched squawking for backing up, and a very soft and timid “crssh” for collisions. He is such a sweet and playful little boy who wants to say hello to every parked truck we pass on a walk. He never wants anyone to leave the house without him, and he definitely does not want to be left out.

An Aunt and a Defender

It is a privilege to be a part of my niece’s and nephew’s childhoods and watch them grow and learn. I love them so much, it’s ridiculous. I may not be a parent, but I still have kids that I am responsible for defending, and I take my position on their line of defense seriously. To defend my niece and nephew, I need to be educated on how to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with them, always communicating with their parents when something comes up that they should address, and never shaming them. Every adult in a child’s life is responsible for protecting them. Parents might be the first line of defense, but as an aunt, I can help. Even if you are not a parent, you likely know a kid, and you can be a part of their safe and happy childhood. They shouldn’t have to worry about anything else but being a kid.

1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18, in the United States.

Just the thought of attaching my niece’s and nephew’s names to this heartbreaking statistic is enough to reduce me to tears. But shying away from this reality will not protect them. Being educated and informed will. They don’t need to know all of the dangers that are out there, but those of us concerned with protecting them do.

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Grandma's hands pinching the cheeks of her grandson. He doesn't seem to be enjoying it.

4 People Your Child Doesn’t Have to Hug During the Holidays

Holiday Hugs: Yes or No?

Think of the last time you upgraded your cell phone. You picked out a new phone that had everything you wanted. You were all set to go when a salesman swooped in to convince you that you needed something fancier and more expensive. He tried to talk you into buying a phone that had enough storage to fit every song ever recorded, the ability to find your car keys anywhere in the world, and space to store 10,000 contacts. And you can get all of these awesome features on a phone that costs $200 more than the one you originally decided to get. But do you really need any of that stuff? Is it worth the extra money? Chances are, probably not. So what do you say? “No thanks. I’ll take the phone I picked out.”

We all know that there are situations where saying yes just doesn’t make sense. Somewhere along the way, you learned that you had the power to say no, and this is something important for you to teach your child. Sure, there are situations where you don’t want your kid to say no—they don’t get to refuse to clean their room. But as a parent, you can help them identify situations where they have a say in what happens and empower them to use their voice and trust their intuition. People need to get their consent, and they need to seek consent from others.

One place where a child should have a say is in showing affection to people. Here at Saprea we’re big about letting kids be affectionate on their own terms. During the holidays, your child will be interacting with a lot of family and friends. When you get together with loved ones, tell your kid that they can decide how to interact. Here are four people your kid doesn’t have to hug this holiday season. If your child wants to hug, cool. If not, no big deal. Don’t force the hug. Let them know they have that choice to say no when these people want a hug:

  • Your Best Friend

    You may be excited to see your BFF from high school when he’s visiting for the holidays. Even though you’ve talked about him a lot, he’s still a stranger to your child. Forcing physical affection could be uncomfortable.

  • Your Second Cousin's Girlfriend

    There are bound to be a few distant relatives at one of your holiday family gatherings. You might be asking, “What’s this cousin up to again? He did an internship over the summer in Chicago, right? Or was it in Texas somewhere? Have I met this girlfriend before?” If you can’t remember much about this person, chances are he doesn’t remember your child too well and vice versa. Maybe skipping the hug is a better choice.

  • Grandma

    Okay, the random family members that show up at Thanksgiving dinner are one thing, but what about close relatives? What will grandma think if one of her grandkids doesn’t want to hug her? Let your kids know that there are lots of ways they can express affection. Ask grandma if she wants a fist bump or a high five. She might even think it’s cuter than a hug.

  • Santa Claus

    If you celebrate Christmas, this can be seen as a rite of passage for kids, but if your child isn’t excited about sharing their wish list with a stranger, no need to push it. Especially since sending a letter apparently works just as well.

A Hug Isn’t Just a Hug

This holiday season, give your child a voice and encourage them to use it. Teach them about consent. You can help your child develop intuition about their interactions and help them develop the confidence they need to communicate their preferences. Interactions with a grandparent might be pretty low stakes, but you’re helping your child develop a voice they can use in a future situation that really matters like when someone they’re dating tries to cross a line. Educating your child about sexual health happens over years in small but meaningful interactions. Start now.

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2 young girls wearing sunglasses in an outside garden telling secrets to each other.

Good Secrets and Bad Secrets: How to Help Kids Tell the Difference

Sexual abuse thrives in secrecy. Perpetrators will often make the children they abuse promise to keep what happened “our little secret.” This can cause confusion to some kids since they’ve equated secrets with fun things like a birthday party or going to Disneyland. Below are three things you can do to help protect your child from keeping a secret that could harm them.

Differentiate between good and bad secrets or surprises.

Teach your children that some secrets can be harmful and that no one should ask them to keep a bad secret. Let them know that some secrets can hurt someone and that they should tell you immediately. On the other hand, if you’re buying your spouse a car then that’s a good surprise you want your child to keep to him- or herself. Let them know that good surprises are temporary and will end in happiness. Bad secrets are permanent and can end in sadness.

Create and maintain open communication.

If your child comes to you with a secret that someone told them to keep and you fly off the handle, react badly, or shame them for talking about whatever it is, they will be much less likely to open up to you again. Whatever the secret is, take a breath and make a conscious choice to respond, not react, to the situation. This will let your child know that they can continue to come to you when they are in trouble or when they have something they need to talk about.

Talk to your child about what a threat is.

Certain perpetrators will threaten a child in order to ensure their secrets are kept. Let your child know that if anyone threatens to hurt them (or you) then they need to come and tell you – it doesn’t matter who said it or what they said. Think carefully about how to explain this to your child so they can understand it at their age and maturity level.

Secrets and surprises aren’t something that you should talk about once and assume your child understands. Keep revisiting the conversation. Any time there is a surprise, remind your child about the difference between a good or bad surprise or secret. Keep talking to them, listening to them, and letting them know that you are there for them. No matter what.

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Father sitting with his toddler daughter on dock on the water.

Why the ACE Study Is Important for Parents

One of the most comprehensive studies about the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences is the ACE Study. This post will explain, briefly, what it is and how it can help you as a parent or caregiver to raise a more well-adjusted child.

From 1995 to 1997, Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recruited participants for a long-term study that has come to be known as the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. The study ended up using 17,337 participants.

What does the ACE Study measure?

The ACE Study asked people if they had experienced any of the following 10 things as a child:

01
Emotional Abuse
02
Physical Abuse
03
Sexual Abuse
04
Mother Treated Violently
05
Household Substance Abuse
06
Household Mental Illness
07
Parental Separation or Divorce
08
Incarcerated Household Member
09
Emotional Neglect
10
Physical Neglect

Each of the above experiences that occurred would raise a person’s score. The higher the score, the more at risk a person is for the following, although this list is not exhaustive:

  • Alcoholism

  • Depression

  • Illicit drug use

  • Financial stress

  • Suicide attempts

  • Unintended pregnancies

  • Sexual violence

  • Poor academic achievement

You can go to the CDC website for a more thorough look at the study and the risks associated with a high ACE score.

What Can We Learn From the ACE Study?

When you look at the first list, you can see that one thing might lead to another. If a child’s mother is abused, it raises the likelihood that the child will be abused as well in some form or another. Emotional neglect can lead to a child becoming the target of a perpetrator of sexual abuse. Household mental illness may mean that a child is physically neglected. It’s difficult to take one aspect of the ACE without tying it to another.

So what does that have to do with helping you prevent your child from being sexually abused?

The ACE Study shows us that there are things that will make your child more vulnerable to sexual abuse. As you are looking at your child’s potential ACE score, you can see the places where you need to put more focus and energy.

For example, if your recent divorce has left your child feeling emotionally neglected, you still have time to remedy that situation. Take a close look at yourself and be honest about what you can do to lower your child’s ACE score. The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make. Give your child the best chance you can to become a well-adjusted, high-functioning adult.

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Pornography and Child Sexual Abuse

Did you know that showing pornography to a child is a form of sexual abuse?

It’s a common myth that child sexual abuse always includes physical contact. There are three types of perpetrators of child sexual abuse: grabbers, granters, and groomers. Groomers, especially, may start by showing pornography to a child before they move on to physically touching a child.

This is one way that they manipulate and blackmail a child. They show sexually explicit images and then make the child feel guilty for having looked at them. They use it as leverage, holding it over the child’s head so they won’t tell anyone what’s happening.

The Effects of Pornography

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “Never before in the history of telecommunications media in the United States has so much indecent (and obscene) material been so easily accessible by so many minors in so many American homes with so few restrictions.”

Exposure to pornography in and of itself can have negative effects on a child, according to a study done in 2009 by Dr. Michael Flood, a sociologist who specializes in gender and sexuality studies. It can lead to children mimicking what they see or thinking that what they’ve seen is normal sexual behavior. Generally, pornography doesn’t depict loving, healthy, communicative relationships. If a child sees these at a young age, it may negatively change the way they view sex, love, and relationships.

Even if no adult shows a child pornography, a child may stumble upon it on their own. According to Covenant Eyes 2015 annual report, 9 out of 10 boys and 6 out of 10 girls are exposed to pornography before the age of 18. It’s important, as parents and caregivers, to discuss healthy sexuality with children and let them know that pornography, should they see it, is something they should talk to you about. Situations like that can lead to great teaching opportunities as long as you stay open to them and open to talking to your child about them when they come along.

Have a Conversation About Pornography

Don’t allow your child’s view of sex to be hijacked by pornography. Talk openly and often about healthy sexuality. There are appropriate conversations you can have at any age. Check in with them frequently to make sure that you know what they’ve been exposed to, when, and by whom—allowing you to identify potential groomers. Let them know that they can come to you with questions or concerns. Become a safe space for your child so that if they are exposed to pornography, especially by an adult, they know they can talk to you about it.

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Mother holding toddler son in arms while taking a selfie together in a grassy park

9 Suggestions to Keep Photos of Your Kids Safe Online

With the start of school comes an influx of photos on social media of children in their backpacks, new school clothes, and posing next to their front door. Of course as a proud parent you want to post beautiful pictures of your children for the world to see.

Changing small things can make a big difference in protecting your children. Take a look at the list below for guidelines that can help protect your child’s images online from digital theft, misappropriation, or being used without permission:

01

Start with your social media privacy settings.

Who can see your images? You may want to make sure that you are at the highest/safest settings that you can be. And, if you’re still unsure, don’t post the image.

02

Think of the kinds of pictures you post.

Perpetrators are less likely to want an image if there is an adult (like you) in the picture with the child.  They may also be less likely to choose photos that cannot be easily sexualized. For example, if your child is alone, in the tub, or wearing a swimsuit, you might reconsider posting it.

03

Lower your resolution

A high-quality, high-resolution photo is a lot more likely to be taken than a low resolution one. If the bigger it gets, the grainier it gets, a digital thief will probably pass it over.

04

Turn off the GPS.

You may want to avoid “checking in” the location where your child’s picture is being taken, especially if it’s a place they frequent, like their school.

05

Get consent.

If your child is old enough to have an opinion about it, you may want to ask them before you post a picture of them. You’re creating a digital footprint for them that may follow them for the rest of their life.

06

Use a watermark.

Think about using a watermark. You’ll need to make sure it’s in a place on the photo that can’t easily be cropped out, but it may deter some theft or misuse.

07

Modify your list of “friends.”

Are all 375 people who follow you on social media people who you trust with your child’s pictures? Maybe it’s time to go through that list and decide who should stay a friend and who should be bumped.

08

Ask family and friends to follow suit.

You may want to let the people in your life know the guidelines you’d like them to follow when they post a picture of your child online. If all else fails, ask them to send you the picture before they post it!

09

Consider others.

This doesn’t just end with protecting your child. You might think twice before posting a picture of someone else’s child – even if they’re in the same picture as yours – without their permission. They may have strong feelings about their child’s name, image, age, etc. being broadcast on social media. Make sure to learn their preferences and boundaries before you post.

Of course the safest way to keep your child’s images safe is to keep it private. 100% private. But it can be hard to be that extreme. If you don’t want to go to complete privacy, following some of the above guidelines may provide the solutions that work for you. Our hope is that you enjoy those moments with your family, but find the safest way to share it that makes you most comfortable.

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3 Children’s Books About Healthy Sexual Development to Start a Conversation

We encourage parents to have small, frequent discussions about sexual health with your children (or, Little Talks). That can be difficult for a lot of parents, especially if sexuality wasn’t something that was ever discussed with you as a child or teen. One way to begin the discussion is through reading books together. We found three books that we think are a great way to start the conversation with your younger kids.

What Makes a Baby

by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth

At first glance, this book looks like it came straight out of the 1960s. The illustrations are bright, swirly, and entertaining. The story talks about the very basics of how a baby is made—through an egg and a sperm. It keeps things specific enough for curious children, but vague enough that you can decide where to fill in the blanks. This is a great book for all children, whether they were conceived traditionally, adopted, born through surrogacy, or any other way. Reading this together affords an opportunity to discuss how they came to be in your life. It will also allow you to open the door to other conversations about sexuality and allow your child to feel comfortable coming to you with questions.

I Said No!

by Zack and Kimberly King, illustrated by Sue Rama

This book is written with preventing child sexual abuse in mind. The story is told from the point of view of a child named Zack and the lessons he’s learned. The length of this book and the amount of words per page will be difficult for younger children, but can be divided into several reading sessions combined with discussions about the topics. It covers a lot of ground and will give you a lot to think about and talk about with your child.

Your Body Belongs to You

by Cornelia Spelman, illustrated by Teri Weidner

This is a book with a message. The author, a licensed social worker, starts the book with two pages for parents about not forcing your children to show affection when they aren’t comfortable doing so. The book goes on to expand on this theme, referring directly to the child or children to whom the book is being read to. The writing is simple, easy-to-read, and will be easy for children to understand. The illustrations aren’t that great and, though the message in the book is good, made it a more difficult book for some of the parents on our staff to get their child to engage with. However, it’s a great book to start a discussion about safe touch and uncomfortable touch.

Don’t expect these children’s books to do the teaching for you. They’re only getting the conversation started. It’s up to you to make sure that your child is getting the information, answers, and understanding that they need for their age and maturity level. We recommend reading the books by yourself first, so you can anticipate some of the questions that may come up when you read it with your children. While talking about sexual health can seem daunting at times, books are a great way to get the conversation started.

SUGGESTED READING:
What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg
I Said No! by Zack and Kimberly King, Illustrated by Sue Rama
Your Body Belongs To You by Cornelia Spelman, Illustrated by Teri Weidner
Disclaimer: As an Amazon affiliate, The Younique Foundation gets a small commission if you buy from these links that help to support our cause at no extra cost to you.

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