I have a young great-niece named Alyssa who is amazing. She taught herself how to do backflips watching YouTube videos. She is such a natural athlete that she’s starting on one of the leading gymnastics teams in Illinois.
But that’s not why I’m telling you about Alyssa. As I listen to the most recent stories about adult gymnasts who were sexually abused and violated as children by Larry Nassar, I think about our sons and daughters who are young athletes. I hope sexual abuse will never happen to them.
According to childwelfare.gov, your daughter has a 1 in 4 chance and your son has a 1 in 6 chance of being molested. That’s pretty scary!
If a coach or doctor touched your child inappropriately, would she or he be able to tell you what was happening? Don’t worry about the authorities believing that a violation has taken place. How would YOU handle the situation?
According to Everyday Feminism, many kids are afraid to tell their parents that they’ve been sexually abused because they are afraid that they will be in trouble. Let’s be proactive instead.
Here are 5 ways to talk to your kids about sexuality and abuse:
- Have calm, casual conversations about appropriate & inappropriate touch – often.
- Let them know what appropriate and inappropriate touching is.
- Begin talking to them as young as 2 years old. Make the conversations age appropriate.
- Teach them the actual names of their private parts.
- Share the only instances when their private parts can be seen and touched.
It’s important that your child know they have the right to control their bodies. Help them feel comfortable to talk about their body to you (as their parent) and to tell you immediately if someone touches them inappropriately. Most importantly, please believe them if they tell you someone has touched them inappropriately, no matter who it is!
C. Lynn Williams is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and family life coach. She helps parents create the kind of home life that welcomes communication and trust with their tweens, teens and adult children. Believing working moms can have better work-life balance, she created Finding Superwoman™, a coaching program to help women kick the chaos out of their life. Her motto: Providing parenting solutions. Building solid foundations. Securing promising futures.
Reach out to her on social media @MsParentguru.
