Last Updated on December 16, 2021 by
Yes, you can also do things to prevent child abuse, at home, in your environment or in your community.
Of course, it is true that in general terms governments are also responsible and must develop plans and strategies to prevent child abuse in all its forms.
But if you want to find out how you can collaborate with your little bit, read these tips for parents.
Strategies to Prevent Child Abuse
- Increase your children’s self-esteem
A good way to prevent child abuse in any setting is to encourage self-esteem in your children .
If they are able to appreciate and value themselves as people, it will be more difficult for them to mistreat them in school, for example, because they will soon seek help to get out of that situation.
To encourage good self-esteem in your children, do not verbally assault them. Never tell your child that he is “dumb”. Do not compare it with your siblings or classmates. He will end up believing that he is not worth as much as others and that will destroy his self-esteem.
Stimulate your achievements and trust your abilities. Let them be mistaken and learn from their mistakes.
Do not scold them. Quietly, point out to them what they need to improve on themselves, and trust that they can do so.
- Appreciates positive attitudes
Another way to improve your children’s self-esteem and prevent them from being mistreated is to recognize and value all their positive attitudes.
When you get a good grade in school or when you behave correctly on a walk, you should point and recognize it with words and gestures, kisses and hugs.
- Teach by example
You cannot ask a child to stop tantrums and calm down, if you’re screaming.
If you give him a flap of ears, you are teaching him that violence is a way to solve problems.
Also Read: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
If you really want to avoid child abuse, you must start by controlling your impulses and acting calmly. If you feel angry, it is best to retire to your room and not do or say anything until you are calmer.
In this way the children will also learn to control their emotions and in the future will not mistreat their own children.
- Encourage dialogue
Dialogue is essential for a correct relationship between parents and children . Listen to what your child has to say and respond calmly and frankly.
If you want to help prevent child abuse, tell your children what their rights are.
Tell them that no one has to see or touch their intimate parts and if they live in a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should tell you, they must trust you, because you will always help them.
- Set your expectations
Each child is different and not everyone has the same abilities, preferences or talents. Some parents have unrealistic expectations about their children’s school or sports performance, and this can lead to situations of child abuse.
As a parent, you must learn to know your children, understand them and help them develop their potential, adjusting their expectations according to their possibilities and preferences.
- Get professional help
Unfortunately there is no school for parents. Not all parents have to know by instinct what the best way to raise their children is, how to set healthy limits or how to control their behavior.
So if you are having problems with parenting, you should not feel ashamed or resorting to violence.
Seek professional help from doctors, psychologists, or institutions that provide help for parents, sure there is one in your community.
- Look for solutions for specific pathologies
Sometimes children with certain pathologies such as anxiety disorders , attention deficit syndrome or depression may be victims of child abuse.
If you think your child’s behavior is not what it should be, you have to consult your doctor, you may have some type of disorder that requires specific treatment.
- Avoid unwanted pregnancies
If you really do not want to have more children, then take the necessary precautions to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.
Unplanned pregnancies increase the risks of child abuse and having a child is a big responsibility.
If you’re not sure you can or want to raise more children, you’d better not have them.
- Avoid violence
Children and adolescents will not learn to beat what their parents want to teach them, you should always keep this in mind.
Violence will not help them behave better or resolve conflicts. In contrast, when there is violence in the home, children become less sensitive to violent experiences and child abuse increases.
Learning about the rules of coexistence, about peace, solidarity or empathy will not be taught in words, but with your own example.
- Set limits healthily
It is possible to set boundaries in your home and your children respect them and respect your authority as a parent or mother, without resorting to any type of violence, physical or verbal.
In order for the authority to be lived and understood by the children as something natural and positive, parents must move away from violent practices and learn to manage their emotions, recognize and express their anger by finding the right words and even learn to ask for forgiveness To their children when they are wrong.
If at bedtime, bathing, homework or sitting at the table things do not happen as you would like and tension increases following the sequence: “talk, persuade, argue, shout, beat,” then You are overflowing and the emotional climate in your home will not be good.
Recovering an adequate climate is essential for parents to exercise their authority.
The limits must be clearly marked; the children must know perfectly what the rules are and what the consequences will be if they do not follow them.
And parents should apply them whenever children do not respect these limits, but in a calm environment, with a tone of voice, body posture and gestures that convey authority but tranquility at the same time.
The safe and adequate emotional climate in the home is based on the conviction that conflicts will appear naturally in all households, but that there is a way to solve them, based on dialogue and mutual respect between parents and children.
