Freda Briggs - Smart Parenting for Safer Kids: Helping children to make smart choices and stay safe

Smart Parenting for Safer Kids

Professor Freda Briggs AO

Published by JoJo Publishing

First published 2011

'Yarra's Edge'

2203/80 Lorimer Street

Docklands VIC 3008

Australia

Email:

Professor Freda Briggs AO

All rights reserved. No part of this printed or video publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

JoJo Publishing

Editor: Julie Athanasiou

Designer / typesetter: Chameleon Print Design

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data

Author: Briggs,Freda

Title: Smart parenting for safer kids : helping children to

make smart choices and stay safe / Professor Freda Briggs ;

editor: Julie Athanasiou.

Edition: 1st ed.

ISBN: 9780994256430 (eBook)

Notes: Includes bibliographical references.

Subjects: Children--Life skills guides.

Self-confidence in children.

Self-actualization (Psychology) in children.

Other Authors/ Contributors: Athanasiou, Julie.

Dewey Number: 305.231

Digital edition distributed by

Port Campbell Press

www.portcampbellpress.com.au

eBook Conversion by

In this book you will learn:

• How to build stronger kids and help them make smart choices.
• The dangers to children in modern Western society.
• How to choose safe, high-quality childcare and safe child minders.
• How to safeguard children in a wide variety of potentially dangerous situations, including bullying, cyberspace and the Internet.
• How to protect against child sex offenders.
• How to protect against child sexual abuse.
• Coping mechanisms for a parents most difficult moments.
• Parenting tips for stages through adolescence.
• How to choose safe student exchanges for teenagers.
• How to protect your children in cyberspace.

Contents

Laying the Foundations

Choosing Safe Services for Your Child

Protecting Your Child from Bullies

Promoting Healthy Sexual Development in Children

What You Need To Know About Child Sexual Abuse

What You Need To Know About Child Sex Offenders

What You Can Do To Keep Kids Safe

Developing Childrens Safety Skills

Hints for Safe Student Travel

Chapter 10 Protecting Children in Cyberspace

Acknowledgments

A book that covers such a wide range of topics could not be written without the assistance of a number of people. I wish to thank:

• Distinguished Professor of Child Development, Laura Berk, State University of Illinois and child psychologist Dr. Marie ONeill, South Australia, for contributions to Chapter 1: Getting the Balance Right .
• Child care experts Dr. Sarah Farquhar, CHILD Forum, New Zealand and Professor Sonia Jackson, London University, for assistance in writing Chapter 2: Choosing Safe Services for Your Child .
• Dr. Ken Rigby and Dr. Barbara Spiers, University of South Australia and Associate Professor Mary Briggs, University of Warwick, UK, for contributions to Chapter 3: Protecting Your Child from Bullying .
• Holly Brennan, Family Planning, Queensland, for her advice for Chapter 4: Promoting Healthy Sexual Development in Children .
• Professor Caroline Taylor, Edith Cowan University, for critiquing chapters on child sexual abuse.
• Chief Superintendent Chris Gould of Avon & Somerset Police and Child-Safe, UK and Danielle Grijalva, USA, on safe student travel.
• Peter Jeans, Assistant Principal, Springvale Secondary College, Victoria; Lise Nikulinsky, (Dragonfly Foundation, WA); Amanda Robinson, former child protection police officer; and Jay Dale, teacher and publisher, for critiquing the manuscript.
• Richard Beach, Nancy Groh, Lee Chisholm cyber-safety consultants with New Zealands NetSafe for Chapter 10: Protecting Children in Cyberspace .

Foreword

This unique book is a practical guide for parents and parent educators to help children stay safe. In typical Freda Briggs style, it is both explicit and realistic, as she draws on a lifetime of knowledge, research and practical experience to provide helpful information on the myriad issues that worry parents.

This book sheds light on several significant risks the sexual abuse of children, safe use of the Internet and modern-day bullying.

The memory of sexual abuse in childhood never leaves its victims, even as adults. Many children suffer the shock and powerlessness of abuse, unable to tell anyone about what happened. Those who do tell are often further injured when adults refuse to believe them. The luckier few are immediately believed and protected.

The memory of bullying never goes away and now, with advances in technology, bullying has accelerated and become even more sinister. While the home may once have provided some relief from schoolyard bullying, the ubiquitous Web provides a 24-hour opportunity for bullying and abuse to continue.

The trauma of both these social evils can impact negatively on the maturing child and affect self-esteem and their trust in others.

People who hurt children sexually contrive a web of perverted self-belief centred on their own needs, which Professor Briggs identifies in detail. Offenders can sometimes be very clever and have extended their reach through all the advances and activities of our society, manipulating parents as well as others responsible for childrens safety to access potential victims. Dr. Briggs book provides an understanding of the behaviours of child sex offenders and their reach.

Inexplicably, people in responsible positions refuse to discuss sexual abuse, leaving child victims unprotected. The fight to get childrens voices heard rests with a few advocates and Freda Briggs is the most credible and influential advocate throughout Australia. Ms. Briggs has garnered great expertise supported by research and she is now regularly called upon by the media and politicians for her insights.

Freda Briggs advocacy extends beyond sexual abuse to improving training programs for the helping professions, which often fail to identify the fundamental building blocks in the development of children. This book provides sound information for both parents and professionals about the developing needs and experiences of children.

Dr. Sue Vardon, AO

Former Chief Executive Officer, Child Protection
and Family Services, South Australia and former Commonwealth CEO, Centrelink

Why this book is needed

Most parents want to be good parents but a hell of a lot of things get in the way.

Dr. Fiona Stanley, former Australian of the Year (2008)

Before we are allowed to drive a car unsupervised, we must undergo training and pass a proficiency test. There are government departments that examine and monitor our fitness to drive and there are punishments if we place the safety of others at risk.

Although parenting is the most important and rewarding, as well as the most difficult, frustrating and demanding responsibility that anyone can undertake, there is no systematic training or licensing required to become a parent. The challenges are such that if you Google the word parenting today, you will find, at minimum, 98 million parenting articles on the Internet.