Every day we hear of stories of young children especially girls from very tender ages being sexually abused by perverts who are adults, some children have died, for those who survived especially girls the scars gotten from such experiences never leaves them, for others it leads to psychological problems as they grow old, some become sex addicts and all. It is indeed a very serious problem.
The question is how do we as parents prevent such a thing from happening to our children or any child under our care. Lets look at a few preventive habits that can help us protect our children from these menace;
1: Let Children be Children: This is where we fail as parents and it is sad. In a bid to show off our children in whom we are “Proud off” we fail to draw the line of restrictions for our children. Keep children away when adults converse, it is very wrong to allow children around adults when they are conversing or allow children to take part in adult conversations or take children to attend adult events. When you restrict children from too many contacts with adult you minimize possible sexual abuses.
2: Dress your girls decently: This is hard for parents to do especially young mothers who want to show off how ‘hot your little daughters are” Please the poor little girl has no need for such dressing, keep all the “sexy dressings” for yourselves as adult but please dress your children decently.
3: Minimize the over familiarity with so called adult neighbors or any other adult: Some of us are so careless that we just let our children enter into our neighbors houses at random, what is your girl child doing in your male neighbors house alone with him? Please that is wrong or your boy child doing in Aunty’s house alone? Oh yes some women have been known to abuse boys sexually. Your children should be in your house at all times and only be at your neighbors place when you are there visiting.
4: Listen to your children: Yes this is very important. I tell my boys anyone touches you in your “pee pee” you tell daddy, because i will ask such an adult why he is doing that, but this helps me to know what is happening with my little boys at every point in time. Some of us are too absorbed with what we are doing that we fail to see the signs our children give us when an adult is sexually abusing them because some of these adults when they abuse the child they threaten such children to prevent them from telling.
5: Teach your children contentment: Many children have been abused because of the “Longthroat syndrome” (LS). Yes teach your children to always tell you first before collecting gifts from any adult. If they do then find out what the gift was meant for, why didnt the adult come and present it to you on their behalf?
6: Let your children know at all times that you love them: Yes it is important and we must also create time for them, let them know you love them and that they can trust you to confide in you at all times. This will prevent them from being victim of such sexual abuses.
These are the things as adults we an do to prevent our children from being victims, the fight against child abuse also starts within our homes.