Safety I A KIds' Key To Success

Kids' Keys has been meaning to post about "How to Protect Our Kids" for a while now and it was brought to my attantion recently in a fellow blogger's post about the fears we face being parents and the resposibility we have for protecting our kids.

We all know that there isn't a gaurantee our kids will always be safe and all our precautions and care will eliminate our worries and secure our children's well being. We all have seen the frightening reports and media scares of children being beaten, neglected, battered, and assaulted. What is a parent to do.

We can confess and bodly state, my children will never be left with anyone. Not even family becasue who can you really trust? Believe me, I have heard more horror and gut wrenching scenarios than I care to remember (I once specialized in domestic violence and sexual assault). Becasue of my expereience I have a greater appreciation of the realities that face our kids.

I was one of people earlier mentioned. I vowed I would never leave my kids with babysitters, friends, or even family. Becasue you never know. You could say I was some what of a controll freak. Not that my children's well being isn't important to me but I was a little obsessed.

There was an author I came across when I was practicing psychotherapy that I loved and helped empower the survivors I worked with. The book helped them realize that they used their instincts to stay a live. The author further expands on this topic and teaches the survivors about how their instincts can also keep them from being victimized again or people from ever being victimized. The Gift Of Fear is a super powerful book!! The author is Gavin DeBecker. To say the least... I LOVE this guy!!! For most of my clients, I asked them to read this as part of our work together.

When my nephew was born I was of course concerned about his well being and wanted to learn everything I could about keeping him safe. Gavin came through for me again. He wrote a sequal called Protecting the Gift . This book tells readers about what we do as care givers and parents that can set our kids up to be more likely to be abused and how we can in stead teach our kids the tools to keep themselves safe. Again, I absolutley LOVE this book!!

Please, if you haven't read this book and it isn't sitting on your self to be used as a reference when looking for pediatritians, dentists, schools, nannies/babysitters, or even what to teach your children about when you are out and about running your errands. GO GET IT!! I think this is a MUST have for any parent who wants to protect their kids.