Monday, July 28, 2008

Safety is Number One

The safety of our children is our number one concern right from conception. As soon as we find out we are pregnant we ensure that we are providing our child with the right nutrition, vitamins and minerals. Later when that child is old enough to crawl and move about we spend time and resources ensuring that they do not harm themselves while exploring the world around them. As children get older, and their world gets bigger, safety is no longer just about covering the electrical outlets and locking the cupboard. This is why I wanted to share with you a very important organization, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.

They are a non-profit organization dedicated to the personal safety of all children, they have tools, information, resources, and programs to help parents and caregivers teach children about personal safety. They also have programs that provide help to children and their family, who have been victims of abuse.

One of their great education programs is Kids in the Know, here parents can access information on how to teach children about personal safety. What makes it really great is that they provide you with age appropriate messages and tools.

They also created, a national tipline for reporting online sexual exploitation of children. With children using the internet more and more, it is important that we teach them how to be safe online. I highly recommend taking a look at their Public Education campaigns, such as 'Let's keep this our little secret', which provides parents with information on the techniques that offenders use to keep abuse a secret. You can also take a look at their age specific tips on ensuring that your child is safe online.

I don't think I can stress enough the importance of becoming informed on this issue and ensuring that we teach our children about personal safety. Not just our own children, but all children, like a good friend always tells me "it takes a village to raise a child".

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