Children First
Children First
Each night as my three-year-old daughter gets prepared for bed; she typically prefers her dad to give her a bath and lay down with her. As a mother, sometimes the feeling of jealousy creeps in but is quickly replaced with understanding. I listen to the laughter and the commotion wondering just how long it will be before she unwinds and goes to sleep. Happiness fills my heart knowing that my daughter has this special quality time with her father. Unfortunately, for some children this bedtime routine with a parent or guardian would be a living nightmare. According to Roberto R. Gonzales, 1 out of 5 kids are sexually abused. (Zott, 2008) The vast majority of sexual assaults is on children below the age of 12 and occurs in a residence by someone the child trusts. (Zott, 2008) These are alarming statistic for anyone, especially for those who have children. Parents want to be proactive in raising their children in a safe and nurturing environment. So, it is important as a parent or guardian that the protection of our children is first on our agenda. The reality is that predators and pedophiles are among us in many different aspects. The pedophiles and predators are typically within the family unit, or within a circle of friends. The offenders are someone the child knows and trust. These predators are calculated, manipulative, and sneaky. Skillfully they use any opportunity possible to violate their victim. In the home parents must take responsibility for knowing who is around and what is going on with your child. However, sexual abuse against children is a world wide epidemic and must be dealt with as a society. Public discrimination against sex offenders, in conjunction with stricter laws will create safe communities to raise children. First of all, placing a danger sign, in the yard of convicted sex offenders would be the first step towards publicly discriminating against convicted sex offenders. A danger sign in the yard of a sex
Each night as my three-year-old daughter gets prepared for bed; she typically prefers her dad to give her a bath and lay down with her. As a mother, sometimes the feeling of jealousy creeps in but is quickly replaced with understanding. I listen to the laughter and the commotion wondering just how long it will be before she unwinds and goes to sleep. Happiness fills my heart knowing that my daughter has this special quality time with her father. Unfortunately, for some children this bedtime routine with a parent or guardian would be a living nightmare. According to Roberto R. Gonzales, 1 out of 5 kids are sexually abused. (Zott, 2008) The vast majority of sexual assaults is on children below the age of 12 and occurs in a residence by someone the child trusts. (Zott, 2008) These are alarming statistic for anyone, especially for those who have children. Parents want to be proactive in raising their children in a safe and nurturing environment. So, it is important as a parent or guardian that the protection of our children is first on our agenda. The reality is that predators and pedophiles are among us in many different aspects. The pedophiles and predators are typically within the family unit, or within a circle of friends. The offenders are someone the child knows and trust. These predators are calculated, manipulative, and sneaky. Skillfully they use any opportunity possible to violate their victim. In the home parents must take responsibility for knowing who is around and what is going on with your child. However, sexual abuse against children is a world wide epidemic and must be dealt with as a society. Public discrimination against sex offenders, in conjunction with stricter laws will create safe communities to raise children. First of all, placing a danger sign, in the yard of convicted sex offenders would be the first step towards publicly discriminating against convicted sex offenders. A danger sign in the yard of a sex