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Title: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Category: Positive Parenting

      The Louisiana Council on Child Abuse recently proclaimed Child Abuse Prevention month with Mayor Joseph at the Opelousas City Hall.  Amy Downs Johnson, the Acadiana Regional Co-ordinator for the Council organized the event.  There were many volunteers there who, like myself, are very concerned about child abuse and want to do anything possible to prevent it.  Mayor Joseph and city councilman Mike Thibodeaux took time to be there and have also promoted the Council enthusiastically.  In fact, Opelousas was the first place in Acadiana in which a meeting of parents took place to begin preventing child abuse through education and better understanding.

      The Louisiana Council on Child Abuse has several handouts to help prevent child abuse.  They will distribute them in doctors offices, public places, and even grocery stores.  In the following two weeks of April we will have more articles on things that can be done to prevent child abuse and reverse the downward cycle of the past two decades.  The following are tips for parents who feel stressed out with their kids. 

      What can a parent do to prevent child abuse? Individually, we can do several things including the following twelve.  

1.  Put your hands over your mouth, count to 10 or better yet 20.

2.  Stop in your tracks, press your lips together and breathe deeply.

3.  Phone a friend.

4.  Phone the weather.

5.  Say the alphabet out loud.

6.  If someone can watch the children, go outside and take a leisurely walk. 

7.  Take a hot bath or splash cold water on your face.

8.  Pick up a pencil and write out your thoughts.

9.  Close your eyes and imagine you are hearing what your child hears.

10. Turn on the radio or TV.

11. Hug a pillow.

12. Write for prevention information from the 

National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse 
Box 2866
Chicago, IL 06090

 

      Also, the Council has tips for stopping the "Report Card Reflex":

1.  SIT DOWN with your child and look over the report         card.

2.  PRAISE YOUR CHILD.  Find at least one good thing:  attendance, no tardies.

3.  BE CALM!  Let your child tell you about his poor         grades.

4.  ASK how you can help your child do better.

5.  ASK what your child can do to make better grades.

6.  MAKE A PLAN with your child's teacher and your         child to do better.

 

            Please join me and the Louisiana Council on Child Abuse in working to lower child abuse.  Wear a blue ribbon this month as a pledge of your support and display it at your business.