A friend of mine passed these along to me – coloring pages to be used in discussing sexual abuse with your children. Check them out at http://themamabeareffect.org/coloring-pages.html.
I think they are fantastic! This can really help children become active in their learning important principles about staying safe from abuse. Remember that this topic is not something you can convey in a one-time conversation – it’s something that you need to bring up from time to time over the course of your kids’ childhood. This is another tool you can use in this process. They touch on some very important points, including naming private parts, recognizing that abuse is not the fault of the victim, surprises vs. secrets, and more.
Other ways you can engage kids on this vital issue include discussing relevant points from TV shows, reading books together (there are so many out there now you can just go Amazon and pick one of them), and bringing up the topic during “teachable moments,” such as when you stop by the bathroom at the zoo. Just like you don’t expect your kids to remember please and thank you after the first time you say it, you can’t expect this lesson to stick either without lots of repetition.
