Handling Child Abuse within Your Family and Extended Family

Check for constant signs, should you decide to take the plunge into a new relationship.  I grew up in a home with a stepdad and it was anything but healthy and loving.  My mom must have felt the need to “be taken care of” that she remained with a man who abused both of us until the day she died (at the age of 47, from leukemia).  She was pregnant with my sister when she married him.  I was 2 at the time and remember oh so much.  She has been gone for so many years but I can only hope she did not know what I had to go through with my stepdad while she worked.  He was an alcoholic and didn’t/couldn’t work so stayed home as the “house husband”.  He adored my sister because that was his biological child and talking with her, he never abused her that way.  I never wanted to be home.  If your child is in any type of situation where their moods may seem to change, maybe they become withdrawn, never want to be home, anything out of their ordinary, please be sure to investigate as to what may be going on in that child’s life.  They so often are withdrawn and feel it shameful to discuss with the most trusted person in their lives.

Open communication with your child which is the most important thing you can do.    As I stated, my mom passed on before I could ever talk with her and somehow got the fear instilled in me not to speak of what I was going through as it happened.  She was my best friend but was always working until the last few years when she got sick.  But it was not something you talked about years ago.  Instill complete confidence in your child/children that they can talk to you about anything, no matter what the circumstances.   There is nothing more important than your children believing they can confide in you 100% at any time in any situation.

Talk to your child at any early age, making them aware of dangers there are out there, as abuse does not only exist in the home.  There is the “stranger danger” discussion that should be discussed practically from the moment the child can walk, and definitely when your child is away from you, out to play, going to school, daycare, Aunt Ginny’s, wherever it may be, it is always better to be safe than sorry.  Of course, most abuse does exist in the home because that is supposed to be the safest and most trusting environment.

Check into all the resources out there just to be more informed as to signs to look for should your child be faced in unsafe situations.  A site called HelpGuide.Org has a lot of wonderful information as well as childhelp.org.   DCFS is also a good resource of information and help.  I never claimed to be “Mother of the Century” when my kids were growing up but I did try to keep them as safe as I could and prayed that they never had to go through what I did as a child/teen.  I know we all hope for that and so much more as our children grow, mature and become wonderful enriched adults.

Some other resources to help your child/children & family are –

Are You Co-parenting With Someone Who Is Crazy, Diagnosed With Mental Illness Or A Substance Abuser? Are You Constantly In Court Fighting Over Child Custody Or Visitation Issues? Learn Strategies To Help You And Your Children Cope With A Tough Situation.  http://c149ad8jiml3lw413hdfhmxo57.hop.clickbank.net

Protect Your Child From Online Predators.   This E-book is packed with Information and Tips for Protecting Your Child from Online Predators.   http://cdb86h-nh9pvgz79kmlqcjow1y.hop.clickbank.net/