Info for Parents
Called To Protect™ For Youth
Information For Parents - What Parents Can Do To Reinforce The Message
Talk to your children
First, talk to your kids about their physical, emotional, and behavioral boundaries. Find out what they learned in the program.
Physical boundaries are defined by:
- Who can touch you.
- How much they can touch you.
- Where they can touch you.
Emotional boundaries are defined by:
- How close you feel to a person.
- How much time you spend with a person.
- What information you share with a person.
Behavioral boundaries are defined by:
- What you will do.
- What you won’t do.
Watch for boundary violators
Second, pay attention to someone who crosses a child’s physical, emotional or behavioral boundaries.
Physical boundary violations mean touching too much or touching in ways most adults would not touch a child. Some examples are:
- Roughhousing or wrestling
- Tickling
- Accidentally touching inappropriately
- Too many hugs or hugs with too much body contact
Emotional boundary violations mean treating the relationship with a child as if it were a romantic or intimate adult relationship. Some examples:
- Spending too much time with a minor
- Calling too much
- E-mailing too much
- Getting involved in too many of the child’s activities
- Acting too possessive
Behavioral boundary violations mean involving a child in activities that his or her parents would not allow the child to do. Some examples are:
- Ridiculing the beliefs of a young person’s parents
- Allowing a young person to do things against the wishes of parents
- Offering a minor cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs
- Allowing a minor to look at pornography
- Allowing a minor to visit inappropriate Web sites
- Giving a child gifts without the parents’ permission
- Asking a minor to keep secrets from his or her parents
Be supportive
Third, be aware that fears about being in trouble or disappointing parents can keep kids from telling. Let your children know they can tell you anything and you will always love them.