November 17, 2006

Save a smile!

November is the month for children. Nov 14 was Children's Day. November 19 is the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse ( WDPCA) to coincide with the World Child's Rights Day on November 20.

Saw a full page advertisement in The Hindu supplement- Young World for the WDPCA. Time to come clean, avoid errors of omission and provide practical tips to our young.This is precisely how the ad was- direct and addressing children, it tells them to note & take charge and not blame themselves or take any shit from anyone. It also spells out what to watch out for.

The term child abuse includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse as well as neglect, violence and exploitation of a child.

It will be time maybe next year, for me to explain such things to Anushka as well. It is the sexual abuse that scares me a lot. I also feel it is tricky to instill a sense of guard without overly becoming paranoid.

A couple of months ago, a mom in the apartment had just explained to her 2 yr old son that he was not to allow anyone to touch his "peepee" and the vicinity. He was to immediately tell the person directly to not do so and to report to his mother as well. Well he did just that - only thing the "culprit" turned outto be his father who was giving him a bath at that time. Poor Dad!
Anyway , do your small bit in recognizing and spreading awareness. So important if you wish to preserve the innocence and dignity of childhood. Beacause all children deserve to smile.

Go here is you wish to know more.
________________________________________________________
For those of you who thought I was reading the Forsyth in Anush's hand- no I am reading Weight Loss by Upamanyu Chatterji ( yes the guy who wrote English August) I am yet to decide whether I like it or not. Presently an overdose of sexual fanatsies and that too the premature variety which I find hard to digest.

Just finished Cuckold by Kiran Nagarkar. I highly recommend it . (Was already hooked to this author after God's Little Soldier.) Cuckold is about the Mewar clan and how they fought and loved , largely through the eyes of the crown prince. The love story in it is as interesting as the one of lineage and warfare and neither debilitates the other. It is very contemporary in the issues that it brings up. You can easily replace the royal family with a business one of today. Whether he finds love or not, you will fall in love with the Maharaj Kumar by the end of it.

5 comments:

Itchingtowrite said...

as parents its important to let our children know that we r there for them and to save them from "bad people" and also it's not their fault if people 'abuse" them. i guess as children grow up- the sense of shame takes over the uninhibited nature and they feel ashamed to let parents know if someone abuses them. we must also learn to be vigilant and recognize the signs of child abuse before the damage is done

hey can i borrow the books!!

Hip Grandma said...

Will try to get hold of the book.As for child abuse repulsive it may be but it is imp. to educate your young one.

Anonymous said...

Wow - she taught him at age 2! Pretty good. And needed I think - just never where the devil lurks in such things. Esp in India where pious looking men can also be heartless pedophiles and people will continue respecting them...(as it happens here too - with the church scandals).

Anonymous said...

It's a sad age where we have to teach out children how to avoid people sexually abusing them. But, I guess better safe than sorry.

Anonymous said...

Good points about child abuse. But isn't 2 yrs too young to be told about child abuse?