The Power Of One

One song can spark a moment,
One whisper can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One moment can make one fall in luv.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!       

WHAT YOU CAN DO?

It is important to learn how to manage your stress— for your own sake and for your children. The following suggestions may help: 

• Identify what’s making you stressed. Everyone’s stressors are different. Yours might be related to money, work, your surroundings (traffic, crime), your partner, your children’s behavior, or health issues. 
• Accept what you cannot change. Ask yourself, "Can I do anything about it?" If the answer is no, try to focus on something else. If there is something you can do (look for a new job, for example) break it into smaller steps so it doesn't feel overwhelming. 
  
• Relax! Try deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or listening to music. Take 30 minutes to play a board game and laugh with your kids. 
  
• Take of your health. Getting enough sleep can make a big difference in your stress level. So can eating healthy foods and getting some exercise. 
  

• Take time for yourself. Take a bath, read a book, or pick up a hobby. When you can, hire a babysitter  (or trade time with a friend or neighbor) and get out for a few hours.Develop a support network. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP! Older children can set the table. Your spouse or partner could take over bedtime a few nights a week. Friends might pick up the kids from school to give you a break

  
  

  FOR MORE TIPS ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE STRESS, CLICK HERE.
  

  
  

A build-up of stress also can contribute to health problems, including allergies, a sore neck or back, headaches, upset stomach, and high blood pressure. 

Remember: 

Learning to manage your stress will improve your happiness and show your children that they can handle stress too.

WHAT YOU MIGHT BE SEEING?

Some signs that you are stressed include:

• Feeling angry or irritable a lot of the time        
  
• Feeling hopeless
• Having trouble making decisions
• Crying easily
• Worrying all the time
• Arguing with friends or your partner
• Overeating or not eating enough
• Being unable to sleep or wanting to sleep all the time

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Everyone has stress, whether it’s a bad day at work, car trouble, or simply too many things to do. However, too much stress can make it hard to parent effectively. After a while, your children may show signs of being stressed out, too! 

managing stress

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."   ~  Albert Einstein

1)     EDUCATE THE CHILDREN!!!  Encourage your children to speak up and seek help!!! Talk to your children and encourage them to tell you about anything that happens to them. Tell them about good touching and bad touching. Encourage them to tell someone if something doesn't feel right. Suggest other people they can talk to if something is wrong. Make sure they learn their telephone number and know how to call home or their parents' place of work

2)     Be a nurturing parent. Being a nurturing parent involves meeting basic physical needs as well as consistently seeking to meet your children’s emotional needs. Each child is different, as is each parent, so a nurturing relationship can take many forms. Click here to learn great tips on how to parent effectively and discipline with love.

​3)      Help a friend, neighbor or relative. Everyone sometimes feels stressed, overworked and out of patience, but these kinds of emotions, if left unabated, can lead to regrettable parenting decisions. If you notice that a parent (especially young and new parents) you know seems to be having a rough time, that’s a great cue that they may need a little break. Even small gestures can mean a lot and relieve a stressful parent. Remember, just because a parent is stressed, doesn’t mean that they are abusing or neglecting their children. But a little help from a trusted friend may do a lot to help them be the parent they want to be.

​4)     Help yourself and de-stress when necessary. If you find yourself being the one who is stressed out, then maybe it’s time to let a trusted friend or family member in to help on occasion. Here are some ideas for coping with the stress of raising children. Click here for helpful anger management tips . Sometimes a few good nights’ sleep away for the weekend is all it takes. 

​5)     When your baby cries, be patient. When a baby won’t stop crying, it can be frustrating, heartbreaking and even defeating. If you have a baby who is prone to long bouts of crying, take a look at these tips for calming an infant. Never shake a baby. Shaking a baby can result in severe injury and even death. For more information about Shaken Baby Syndrome, please click here. 

​6)    Get involved. Tell other people about child abuse resources in your community and services. Share resources like this website and DON'T SHY AWAY FROM SPEAKING OUT AGAINST CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. Please refer to "Need Help?" page for helpful resources and websites. 

​7)    Help develop parenting resources. Are you a parent who feels like they have wisdom and experiences to share? Contact your local library and offer to help them develop parenting resources.

​8)     Monitor your child’s media intake. This includes things like television, YouTube videos, movies, social media activity, and even texting. Watching violent films and television shows can be harmful to a young child’s development and can be desensitizing to older children and teens. For tips on how to decide what your children are allowed to watch, visit www.CommonSenseMedia.org, and for ideas to set internet safety rules and boundaries, click here.

9)     Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program. Another way to get involved in the fight against child abuse is to volunteer your time. Become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), volunteer with local homeless shelters, foster care centers, child crisis nurseries, parenting support groups.

Find local organizations that raise funds and awareness for child abuse prevention. Without tireless volunteers, organizations like Project C.H.A.N.C.E. and thousands of others would not be able to do what they do.

10)     Raise Awareness!! Tell your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers. Share the importance of intervening and getting involved!! Child abuse is a taboo subject – no one wants to hear about it, see it or think about it. If it’s not affecting them, then it’s not their problem. WRONG!!! Child abuse is everyone’s problem!!! See our "Awareness" page to read how you can raise awareness in your community.

11)     Last, but certainly not least, if you suspect abuse, report it. IF A CHLID IS BEING ABUSED, DON'T STAY SILENT!. ANYONE CAN CALL THE NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-4-A-CHILD 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AT NO COST, ANONYMOUSLY. Certified counselors are there to assist callers with deciding what the next step to take is

WAYS THAT YOU CAN  PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

Child Abuse Prevention Guidelines

• Never discipline your child when your anger is out of control.
  

• Participate in your child’s activities and get to know your child’s friends.

• Never leave your child unattended, especially in or around a car, bath tub, or swimming pool.

• Interview your babysitters. Check out all babysitters. Meet them before you hire them. Let your child meet them, too. If your child is uncomfortable, don’t hire them. Set clear rules for bedtime and discipline. Do not permit babysitters to bathe your children.

• Teach your child the difference between “good touches,” “bad touches” and “confusing touches.”

• Ask questions; if your child tells you they don’t want to be with someone, this could be a red flag.

• Listen to them and believe what they say.

• Be aware of changes in your child’s behavior or attitude, and inquire into it.

• Teach your child what to do if you and your child become separated while away from home.

• Teach your child the correct names of his/her private body parts.

• Be alert for any talk that reveals premature sexual understanding.

• Pay attention when someone shows greater than normal interest in your child.

• Make certain your child’s school or daycare will release him/her only to you or someone you officially designate.

While changing laws to make sure perpetrators can effectively be prosecuted is important, building community infrastructure to prevent child deaths is paramount.

The following child abuse prevention guidelines were developed to help keep your child, or a child you care for, from becoming a statistic

Each day more than three children die as a result of abuse or neglect in the home. On average, a child abuse report is made every ten seconds—a total of approximately three million child abuse reports annually. 

Sources:

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ChildHelp

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Office for Victims of Crimes

Education and Knowledge are the KEY to Prevention!!

We see and hear about violence and acts of violence every day.  Some of these events have become so common that we no longer notice them, or are desensitized to their impact.  Occasionally, an act of violence grabs our attention, and moves us to want to do something to change the situation. You have probably asked yourself, “When should someone step in to protect a child from violence from a parent or caregiver?”  What is your role and when are you overstepping your bounds?

In many situations, a child may be unable or unwilling to report their own abuse or neglect. Therefore, it is important that the network of adults in a child’s life are vigilant advocates, giving abused children a voice. A child may not report abuse because they cannot talk, do not understand what is happening, are afraid, or have no one to talk to.

what can you do to help PREVENT CHILD ABUSE?