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Ten Things Average People Can Do To Make Children's Lives Better
by Kenneth F. Joe, Sr., surivior and Child Welfare Advocate
Potentially unsafe groups or leaders "come off very nice at first, they go for vulnerable people who are looking for answers, lonely, what you'd call 'normal people.' They're very good at what they do and can get people to believe anything. You might think you'd never get taken in, but don't bet on it. "
-- Margaret Singer, Ph.D.
Don't be Naive, Develop a Good BS Detector.
You can protect yourself from unsafe groups and leaders by developing a good BS detector. Check things out, know the facts and examine the evidence. A safe group will be patient with your decision making process. If a group or leader grows angry and anxious just because you want to make an informed and careful decision before joining; beware.
- Ten Warning Signs of a Potential Unsafe Group/Leader
- Ten Warning Signs of Regarding People Involved with Potentially Unsafe Groups/Leaders
- Ten Signs of a Safe Group/Leader
- Printable page of the Lists above
The Lists above are written by Rick Ross, Expert Consultant and Intervention Specialist. For more information, visit rickross.com.
Quiz: Are You Being Bullied?
Click on the link above to download a printable quiz with 7 simple questions. It also gives information if kids find they might have been bullied and ends with the reminder, "Remember, you are important and special. No one has the right to hurt you or make you feel scared!".
Protecting Children From Sexual Abuse
"The typical advice 'Don't Talk to Strangers' doesn't apply in this case. Most sexual perpetrators are known to their victims." Read some more Dos and Don'ts from the American Psychological Association by clicking on the link above.
Children Learn What They Live
In 1982, Dorothy Law Nolte wrote a poem called Children Learn What They Live. The poem goes into the positives and negatives that children may experience and how those things influence how they develop into adulthood.It has become a very popular poem. Click on the link above to read it.
40 Developmental Assets
Search Insitute has identified 40 'building blocks' of healthy development - known as Developmental Assets - that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. Click on the link above for more information.
150 Ways to Show Kids You Care
Written by Jolene L. Roehlkepartain for the Search Institute's Health Communities Healthy Kids program, this list gives grown-ups plenty of ideas for letting children in their lives know that they are valued and respected. The items are simply and easy but that should not underestimate their importance. If kids are told they are valued with actions instead of just words, they might be more likely to stand up to anyone who treats them disrepectfully.
The 5 Rs to Helping Prevent Child Abuse
Click on the link above for a list of things everyday citzens can do to help prevent child abuse in their community. This is provided by Prevent Child Abuse America.
Tips for Kids: What to do About Abuse or Neglect
Click on the link above for tips on how kids can recognize or prevent physical, sexual, and verbal abuse. It is written for children to understand. This is provided by Prevent Child Abuse America.
Preventing the Sexual Exploitation of Children
"The words sexual exploitation evoke a number of reactions and feelings. Perhaps one of the most devastating is silence - our inablity or unwillingness as a society to speak about this horrific problem. That same silence may also impact a child who has been sexually exploited. Children may be frightened or intimidated into not telling. They may feel they won't be believed or what happened is their fault. All of these feelings may cause them to hide their pain."
To read the complete fact sheet from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which includes what Families, Schools, and Communities can do, click on the link above.
If you would like to see something on these pages, please mail or emai it to:
Companions in Hope
P.O. Box 638
Geneva, Illinois 60134
mail@companionsinhope.com
Thank you for your interest and participation.