Talking PANTS with your children
Lots of parents worry about stranger danger. We are bombarded by media stories about sex offenders and it can feel like the danger of abuse is lurking around every corner. But keeping our children locked up at home isn’t an option and it wouldn’t be good for them if we could. Children need free play and room to roam to build their brains and become independent. The absolute best we can do for our children is to give them the knowledge to keep themselves safe.
Talking to young children about issues like sexual abuse without frightening them is a daunting task. (Talking to children about sex, bodies and relationships in general can make many of us squirm!). Luckily, the NSPCC have come up with the absolutely fantastic PANTS campaign which has been specifically developed to help parents talk to young children about keeping themselves safe. There is an activity pack including tips and advice on the kinds of questions children might ask. And a song you can teach your children to gently introduce the idea that the parts of their bodies covered by their pants are private (and what they should do if anyone ever asks to see or touch them).
And, if you are still a bit daunted by the whole idea of raising the topic, there is this brilliant video of parents talking about how their conversations with their children went:
You could also check out these books for talking to children about sex, bodies and relationships and these additional resources. What are you waiting for? Get talking PANTS!
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