April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Many schools across the nation are using this opportunity to have discussions and lessons with students about body safety, body boundaries and personal safety plans for what to do if they find themselves, or their friends, in an uncomfortable situation.

While some parents may be hesitant to engage in these conversations with their children, they are very important to have, and can be tailored to your child’s specific age and developmental level.

Some topics that are important to discuss with your young children include:

  1. Body Boundaries/ Consent and Body Safety

  2. Safe vs. Unsafe Touches

  3. Medically Accurate Name of Body Parts

  4. “No, Go, Tell”

  5. Their Safety Network (Five safe grown-ups who they trust and can go to for help- at least one person should be someone who is NOT in that child’s family)

Some points to reiterate when navigating these topics:

  1. Your body belongs to YOU. No one has a right to invade your body boundary or see/ask you to do something harmful to another person’s body.

  2. If someone hurts you, invades your body boundary or touches your private areas, it is NEVER your fault.

  3. If you are unsure whether a situation is okay or not okay or if you feel uncomfortable, TELL.

  4. TELL! Even if….. a) the person who hurts you or invades your body boundary tells you not to tell anyone b) if the person who hurts you or invades your body boundary is a member of your family or a friend of your family.

Some resources that can be helpful in navigating these discussions with your children:

  1. Your Body Belongs to You by Cornelia Spelman

  2. What’s the Big Secret? by Laurie Krasny Brown

  3. No Means No! by Jayneen Sanders

  4. Let’s Talk bout Body, Boundaries, Consent and Respect by Jayneen Sanders

  5. My Body! What I Say Goes! by Jayneen Sanders

Please feel free to reach out to your HPT clinician with any questions!