Stopping Child Abuse!

Do you know the signs of child abuse?   Children need ALL OF US to speak up to help make families stronger and more resilient!  We can stop child abuse.

Street Safe Kids: 10 step guide



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10 Ways to Stop Gangs without Money!

America has slowly evolved from “In God we trust” to the “me generation” demanding rights without a sense of responsibility to neighbors or community. The loss of community involvement has contributed to the growth of criminal gangs. When families break down, children can become angry. They can find comfort and support through gangs, sex and drugs.

The FBI reports the peak age for burglary is 16 and violence, age 18. Without correction, children fill the void with a false sense of power. Without responsible adults, a teen can steal or assault another child without guilt.

Police, schools and community leaders are struggling to cope, but children need adults to speak up and support each other.

As a crime prevention coordinator, I was facilitating a meeting of neighbors. After discussing ways to stop burglars, a neighbor asked what to do about two boys, 7 and 9 who were bullying her children. Other neighbors added the boys stole from a garage, broke several flowerpots and smashed a mailbox. A man said he had told the mother, “Get your boys under control” and she slammed her door. The group decided they could not let two young boys disrupt their lives but they needed a positive approach. Two tactful neighbors agreed to talk to the mother and offer help. The mother not only listened by burst into tears and said her husband had left. Neighbors decided to help and several men became mentors and families included the boys in their activities. Today they are successful students, one in high school and the other in college.

There are 28,000 gangs in the US and nine youths die every day from violence. Neighborhood support is critical for struggling families. Isolation creates an environment for crime, vandalism and domestic violence as citizens seek refuge behind locked doors. Americans are paying a high price.

We are at a crossroads. Citizens can restore the social fabric of communities.
Ten ways YOU can help stop gangs and destructive behaviors:
1. Help children learn how to become centered by taking your family to church. Children become strong and resilient by learning how to handle their emotions. Self-esteem is a “do it yourself,” project of looking within and changing ourselves. A strong conscience protects us, provides guidance and self-control.

2. Create a network of love and support with a peaceful home life and connecting to positive family members, neighbors and a church family.

3. Teach children the buddy system and street smarts. Encourage them to listen to their self-protective instincts and trust their intuition to avoid danger.

4. Include children in your home safety program: how to secure your home, how to answer the door and phone, what to do when home alone or in an emergency.

5. Create a safe neighborhood by working with neighbors. Join a neighborhood group or start one.

6. Establish a block parent program and designate a safe house on the block.

7. Conduct a neighborhood safety survey: Do you have overgrown shrubs, adequate lighting, open drainage, speeding cars, abandoned houses, drug dealers or gangs? Work with neighbors to solve problems.

8. Report criminal activities or designate neighborhood leaders willing to report to police.

9. Encourage city leaders to appoint a volunteer committee to promote community involvement and youth safety projects. Increase communication with local support agencies. Invite responsible teens to participate in teen courts and neighborhood groups.

10. Ask existing groups (churches, civic groups) to help organize after-school activities, start neighborhood newsletters, sponsor block parties and help clean up neighborhoods. Groups can reach out and help citizens get connected so gangs will not attract youth.

Responsible adults, take charge! We can create safe communities when children see positive role models and learn acceptable behavior.

Americans can reduce fear and restore trust by creating neighborhood support. We will stop gangs when adults work together for safe, healthy communities for everyone, especially for our children.

Stephanie L. Mann, Crime and Violence Prevention Consultant

For more information see, The Adopt-A-Block Guidebook, on www.safekidsnow.com

PLAN AHEAD...for a disaster! (flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, fire, etc.)

1. PLAN AHEAD! Know neighbors, their useful skills and equipment. Everyone can help!

2. Work with a neighbor to map your neighborhood. Draw your street (on a poster) with house numbers and list residents, children, elderly and disabled.

3. Use symbols, add location of gas meters and propane tanks to your map. (65% of house fires a caused by gas leaks.) Learn how and when to turn off meters. (Call local provider)

4. Know how to turn off water to the house.

5. Stock up on dry food, canned goods and water to last 5 days.

6. Discuss with family your disaster plan, safety info, location of supplies, meeting place and outside area contact in case local communication fails.

7. Store under your bed, sturdy shoes, gloves, flashlight, battery operated radio, first aid kit, a HELP/OK sign and a to do check list.

8. Create a team of neighbors to check on elderly, disabled and children. Check gas meters, propane tanks and shut off gas, if necessary. Check on homes to offer help.

9. Be prepared to give first aid. (Classes available in your area?) Contact your council member or area rep to find out what your community is doing to prepare for a disaster and get involved. Your community needs YOU.

10 Ways For A Parent To Say I Love You Without Words

• When your child communicates with you, stop what you’re doing and really listen to what they have to say. When your child knows and feels you care about what they are saying, they will feel good about themselves.
• Spend quality time each day with your child. When a child has the undivided attention of their parent, they feel important and cared for.
• Tune into your child’s needs. Respond to what your child may need before they ask; this shows your child you really are paying attention to them.
• Show your child affection without being asked. When you offer a hug to your child without being prompted, they will truly feel your love for them.
• When your child wants to show you something or needs something in that moment, stop what you’re doing and follow their lead. Sometimes they just want to know they are more important than your work.
• Enjoy meals together several times a week. With most people’s hectic schedules, there isn’t always time to hear the details of a child’s day immediately after work. Sharing a meal together allows children the space to talk about what went on in their day after they’ve had some down time and you have too.
• If your child comes home from school or an outing and immediately starts to talk about a sensitive topic, stop and listen to what they’re saying; it is most likely bothering them.
• Intently watch your child. Simply gazing at your child will send energetic vibrations of love their way and they will receive the warm feelings into their being.
• Make eye contact with your child. Sharing a deep gaze with your child sends messages of love through the eyes. The eyes are the gateway to one’s soul and a child knows this.
• Do things for your child. Consciously making their bed and washing their favorite shirt let’s them know you thought about them during your day; it also shows them how to do things for others as well.

Tara Paterson, ACPI Certified Coach for Parents™ of Intuitives
www.parentingintuitives.com
Co-Author of the award winning book- Raising Intuitive Children
Contact info: tara@justformom.com.

5 CLUES YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS DANGEROUS!

1. Fear and easily intimidated neighbors who don’t trust each other.
2. Lack of communication between neighbors. (Problems escalate)
3. Assuming someone else will speak up and stop juvenile bad behavior.
4. Ignoring criminal behavior and hoping it will go away.
5. Observing suspicious strangers or activities but failure to report criminal behavior.

YOU have the power to change your neighborhood. Even if your neighborhood seems safe, don't be fooled. Get neighbors together to share information.

Find out what you can do. Go to "Safe Kids Now" and contact us!

Children deserve a safe place to grow up so they can reach their potential!

ARIZONA TRAGEDY: A WAKE UP CALL!

Twenty-two year old Jared Loughner killed six and wounded 14 innocent people in Tucson. The public reaction; a “deranged monster.” Others blame political speeches. Loughner’s friends called him a “social outcast.” (Contra Costa Times 1-10-11)

This tragic event is a wake up call. We need to identify root causes and examine solutions for violent behavior. Human beings have the power to make choices for good or evil regardless of what has happened in the past.

Violent people were often victims. They never learned how to look within to find their own identity. They feel victimized and powerless. Lacking self-awareness, they can spiral out of control by dwelling on past traumas or injustices. Anger, if left unresolved, grows into rage and confused thinking. They blame others and may seek a cause to feel powerful. Their ego says, “I am right and others are wrong” as they shut down their conscience and play god. If no one intervenes, they look for a victim to relieve their pain and feel in control. I.e. a rapist attacks a vulnerable woman, a predator attacks a child, and an angry husband abuses and isolates his wife. This is spiritual ignorance at its worst.

Loughner was not born “deranged” but anger made him think and act in self-destructive ways. He became an outcast and felt justified in hurting others. Mass murderers are often “loner” with “no remorse.”

How can we prevent children from becoming a social outcast?

Consider these ideas:

1. Spiritual ignorance – Children growing up with mental, physical or sexual abuse at home learn, the biggest bully wins. Violent movies, video games and TV reinforce that message. Without spiritual understanding of self, young people do not learn healthy life skills to help them handle feelings of love or hate. A spiritually off centered child can become a bully or the victim of a bully. If human (spiritual) beings dwell on anger, they can become self-destructive or may turn their anger on the community.

What you can do… Look within your family, set boundaries, listen, demonstrate respect for each other and speak without anger. Do not tolerate bully behavior at home or in your neighborhood. Children need strong, caring families to learn self-awareness and self-discipline.

2. Social alienation fuels violence – When young people feel isolated and lack a network of support from family, friends, neighbors or a religious family, they struggle to develop self-confidence and courage.

What you can do… Successful parents create a network of support around children and seek wisdom from family, friends, teachers and neighbors. A network of support builds trust. Encourage your network to correct unacceptable behavior. Children will develop respect for others and their property. A caring network offers encouragement, mentors and role models. Involved citizens demonstrate how to become contributing members of the community.

We can make our homes and neighborhoods safe places to live and help young people from “falling through the cracks” or becoming “social outcasts.” United, we have the power to create peace at home and in our communities.


Stephanie L. Mann, Crime and Violence Prevention Consultant
Safe Kids Now!
www.safekidsnow.com

Our Children Our Future

No one knows more about child abuse than Rebecca Kimbel. At age 15, Rebecca was sold as a child bride to her future husband. With help, she escaped with her 6 daughters, many years later. She knows how critical it is for children to be protected, not controlled. (In the USA, 1 in 4 women are in abusive relationships)

Thank you, Rebecca, for sending us your article.



Our Children Our Future

Today’s children are tomorrow’s nation. What is written on the “blackboards” of a child’s psychic will effect intellectual and emotional decisions in their future. Their future is not theirs alone. Our children are the future of our nation.

The economy is down. Crime is up. People struggle against joblessness, homelessness and despair. Those who suffer the most, are the smallest, the weakest and the most defenseless. They are children and crimes against children are astonishingly high.

David Finkehor PhD Director at the Crimes against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham N.H., said,”Children and adolescence have among the highest rates of conventional crime, victimization and in addition, suffer from the most crimes. Despite enormous publicity about crime and youth, this high vulnerability is seldom mentioned”.

When a child is victimized, we often discover that justice and healing require far more pain, time and investment than prevention. Healing emotional and physical scares often lasts for years and sometimes lasts a life time. The vigilance of protection not only provides prevention, it also provides a healthy base with beneficial effects that expand into the next generation.

Does it “take a village” to raise a child? The vigilance of a group within a community dedicated to the safety and well being of the children is a much needed and effective safety net for their protection. The children are not the only members of the community to benefit. When the children are protected, the community is protected.

A powerful new organization called Safe Kids Now has been activated across the nation. It began in the inner cities where crime was the highest and spread quickly through assisting churches who “adopted a block” around the church. Then members “adopted a block." Citizens seeing the dynamic positive effects began joining in. Adults focused on the local children, who they were, who they were with, who they belonged to and which neighbors would safely befriend them.

The statistics of abuse, violence and missing children began to loose its grip in their communities. In many communities the watch of mutual protection has caused crime to move out.

When churches, parents and neighbors join in a common bond for the purpose of protecting young lives, they have a heart felt purpose. They become dedicated to “paying attention”. They became dedicated to the simple things, like going to the internet and researching those who they may entrusted with their sacred little ones. They pay attention to details and unusual circumstances. They become determined to bring the statistics on crimes against children down and keep pushing it down until American cities become a safe place for America’s future and her children.

Information on this program is available at www.safekidsnow.com

Rebecca Kimbel