My daughter and I were driving to pick up my son from IBI today, and we had one of those important discussions that all parents need to have with their children. Somehow we started talking about who she can talk to when she’s sad, happy, angry, etc. We started discussing who are safe grownups in her world to talk to about her emotions.
With my heart beating about a million times a second, I decided it was a great opportunity to chat about what to do if someone tries touching her privates (besides the fact that I will go more than “mama bear” if anyone ever hurts either of my kids!!!!), and who she can trust to tell or go to, if it ever happens.
At the end of the discussion, she knows that NO ONE is aloud to touch her private parts without her permission, EVER; and she has a list of grown ups she knows will listen to her and act on her behalf if, God-forbid, someone ever hurts her.
It was an awkward conversation to have but I think I was more awkward about it than she was, but it was extremely important. As parents, we need to look for these opportunities and jump on them. It wasn’t a long conversation but I hope that I have helped my 6 year old have some tools she can take with her for the rest of her life.
Don’t ever miss an opportunity like the one we had today, no matter how uncomfortable and awkward you feel. If we don’t prepare our children for the world, and stick up for them, no one will.
