There has been some discussion in the blogosphere recently on the subject of child abuse. It is not easy reading of course, but it has grabbed my attention. Naturally, we all want to protect our children. I am wondering what is the best way to go about it.
There has been much coverage in the news recently of a female nursery worker abusing children. It has all been very shocking. IJ, aged six, has accidentally overhead some of the news coverage. Thankfully it goes straight over her head, she has no understanding of the topics being discussed and has asked no questions.
But I do want her to have an awareness, to an extent, of the unpleasant things that go on in the world. My view is that an uneducated child is a vulnerable one. I plan to sit down and talk to her in the next couple of years about the dangers out there.
I don't plan to use words like 'child abuse' and I would have no intention of giving her any explicit details. But I would want her to know that there are people out there who are not kind to others, and I would want her to know what behaviour is acceptable from others and what is not.
This isn't to scare her of course. I want her to be able to recognise acts that are wrong. Maybe some children would be able to know instinctively if something does not feel right, but I'm not sure that all would so I don't want to take the risk. It feels like my job to provide her with some education in this area.What do you think?
