NEW PARENTS

As new parents, so much is expected of you, from altering your entire life to meet the demands of parenting, to quickly understanding your child’s every development stage, and so forth. For you, we first suggest that you prioritize protecting your child in every way possible from potential perpetrators. This includes exercising utmost care when selecting a childcare provider, to noticing if your child behaves unhappy, uncomfortable or tense around certain adults or other children that they spend time with in your absence.

This does not automatically imply that the person is abusing your child. However, it does mean that that particular person is making your child uncomfortable. You may need to intervene or ensure that you are present when your child is interacting with that person.

We would also like to see you take the time to just read the book “Scream Run and Tell,” to your baby at least once a day. By the time the child learns to talk, these words will already be in place.

Below are some additional tips. Chose the age of your child to view details.

Parents of ages 2-7

Parents of ages 8-12

Parents of ages 13+

Parents of ages 2-7

After you have been reading Scream Run and Tell to your baby, you can add role playing by asking them to “scream, run and tell.”

Here’s an example of a role-play you could carry out:

Have them go to another room, and have them scream, “Hey, don’t touch me!” and tell them to run to you. Then go with them back to the other room, and tell the imaginary person to stop, and to not touch your child (use his/her name).

If you are just starting the program that’s great, you are never too late. Read the book and then carry out the role play.

Please do not reward them with candy or any other reward. It is sufficient that you respond to their appeal for help and protect them.

Practice this at least once a week and remember to do just as the book says.

Always encourage your child, and let them know you will help them.

Parents of ages 8-12

To all you parents that are seeing this for the first time, we’re so excited that you are taking a stand to make a difference.

Your objective is to gain trust. First, you need to let the child know they can come to you.

Second, you can get the ball rolling:

• Request for us to go to your child’s school to implement our program and share our site.

• Read the book to and share it with them and explain that this thing happens to little children as well.

• Explain to them that the offender will threaten them if they tell their parents, but let them know that you will always believe your child if he/she comes to you, and will always protect your child from the offender.

•Inform them that this is inappropriate behavior and no one needs to touch them anywhere they don’t want them to.

Ask them, “if it is inappropriate for anyone else to touch you, do you think you can touch someone else?” Then let them answer you. Wait for their response, and reward their answer with a smile and reassuring word. You want the child to feel they can come to you for help.

We will have videos and other books for them in the future. But, for now we want you to gain their trust and have the upper hand on this. For younger children in this age group, you can practice with your child saying from another room, “Hey, don’t touch me!” loudly, and have them come to tell you. They will think it’s silly, but do try! Continue reading the book to them and asking them to role play. They need to be reassured that if something happens, you are the first person they can run to for help.

REMEMBER, you must have a kind face with love for that child, because the child will not feel safe if they sense a disbelieving look or questionable body language.

Parents of ages 13+

What an amazing time in your life! Teenagers are great! It is also a time to learn about the time they spend outside the house without you. It is important that you question them in a way that doesn’t make them feel annoyed or disrespected.

Suggestions:

• Frequently suggest that they invite their friends to your house, so you know who they are.

• If they suddenly acquire something new, ask them how they got it and who bought it.

•Keep track of who’s who in their circle of friends, so if you hear a new name you can ask your child to invite that friend over.

• Meet them on Skype or any other way you can meet the new friend.

• Tell your child about this organization and how it came about. Share with them the resources here on how the offender works. Remind them that no one has the right to touch them at any time in any way that makes them uncomfortable.

• Tell them that you will always believe them. Remind them of how awful it must be to be a young child and be abused in any way. Let them know that even if the offender threatens them, it is still vital that they come and tell you.

• Ask them to check our website — we will soon have things here especially for them, but for now keep saying the same things to them in a non-threatening way, and always end on a loving note. Leave them feeling they can trust you.

• Let them know how stressful it must be for a young child to have an older child expose themselves to him/her, and for that young child to feel they have no power. Let them know that children are speaking out and that it would be very embarrassing for the older child who exposed him or herself.

• If they ask you, “Mom (or Dad)! Why do you keep saying this to me?” just say, “I want you to know I will always believe you and want to make sure you are safe. Now that you are older, I trust you, but I can’t trust everyone else out there in the world. So I always want you to know I will be here for you.”

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