There is no excuse for child abuse. Statistics show that over 600,000 children a year are abused in the United States. There are over seven million children in the child welfare system, with over 15 percent of children abused in their first year of life. Girls suffer abuse more than boys.
In Texas alone, 182 children die due to abuse and neglect. Children three years old and younger make up 61 percent of abuse and neglect deaths, while males make up more than half of all confirmed abuse and neglect-related fatalities. These are the dire facts from www.nationalchildrensalliance. org, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Office of Child Safety. To help prevent child abuse of one’s charges, it is recommended that you nurture your child. Let them know you love them even if they did something wrong. Ask your child’s opinion and ideas.
Don’t feel like you have to do it all. Let others help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Take several slow, deep breaths when you feel stressed about something, especially with your child. Call a friend and chat, or ask a trusted adult for help. Try taking a walk or a warm bath. Do some light exercising and listen to calming music. Take a mental break or make yourself a healthy snack. If you feel you need to lash out at your child, put your child in a safe place and leave the room.
If you know someone who could use a break, ask them to babysit, run errands, or lend a listening ear.
Listen to your charge if they say they feel uncomfortable around someone. Tell the child to say no or to get away if someone tries to touch or hurt them. Abusers often tell their victims to keep what they do a secret. Teach the child about good secrets and bad secrets.
Discipline takes many forms but is never abusive. First, encourage good behavior. Praise your child for their accomplishments. Try to ignore unwanted behavior unless it is causing harm or is destructive.
Consequences should never be harmful. It should be something your child does not like, such as having a favorite toy taken away for a set period. It may help your child to choose their consequence. They can either play nicely or go for a time out.
Above all, don’t try to do it alone when all else fails. Family and Youth Success (FAYS), such as the one in Columbus, can help navigate you and your child through situations.
It helps families deal with everyday struggles and it works to make families stronger. It helps develop family communication skills, encourages youth to care more about school and get better grades, helps build positive relationships with friends, and builds confidence in both youth and parents.
FAYS is free and confidential. FAYS can be reached by calling 979-732-8355.
