Guarding your child from dangers

Divorce statistics grow higher year by year.  Infidelity has grown even higher since women have entered the work force.  Pornography is at the reach of our fingertips and is destroying families; not to mention on the rise as well.  90% of predators who molest children have had some type of involvement in pornography.  How many of us know people who wink, peek, or are hard core users of pornography?  The natural result of all these statistics rising is that there are tons of people out there that are sexually unfulfilled.  I speak first hand as infidelity almost ruined our relationship.  So it's not a wonder that 1 in 6 children my child's age are molested. Wait, let me repeat that....1 IN 6 CHILDREN ARE MOLESTED AT AGE 6!  90% of all molestations are perpetrated by a relative or friend of the family!  They don't have signs on them that classify them, they don't have a special dress code or a scary look...they are regular "Joes".  Perverts hide behind a normal looking face. We teach our children to be weary of strangers, but what about our family members?  

Formerly, I turned my head at these statistics because I justified my occupation as a means to provide a good life for my child.  Every second she was away from me was one more second she could have been closer to becoming a victim of sexual abuse.   Recently, I was confronted by a person and accused of living in fear and being too protective of my daughter.  Weeks later, this same person's child who overheard this conversation came to me confessing she was, in fact, sexually perpetrated and had not yet told an adult.  There's that 1 out of 6.  A parent must be sacrificial. This is one of those cases where I hated to be right.   

There are ways to involve your children in everyday activities that you would typically need a babysitter.  If the activity is something my child can't come along and do, then the activity is not for this season of my life. I rely on my husband for the rare special girls outing or book study.  Instead of going to the gym and leaving her in daycare, we ride bikes together and run. Instead of sleepovers at other children's houses, we have play dates where all parents are attending.  If I want to go on a date or a getaway with my husband, Grandma watches her.  You would think my Katie would get sick of my face!  Nope! She begs me to play with her more and more.  :)  

Be wise, but not paranoid.  Most child molesters live out their lives in peace and success.  The average pedophile will molest 400 children in his/her lifetime.  No one ever tells on them, so no one ever knows except the silent broken trail of victims they leave behind.  

A good book to read your children is called "Sara Sue Learns to Yell and Tell" by Debi Pearl with No Greater Joy Ministries.  You can google it.  There is also a male version of this book for the young boys. God has put you on this earth to protect your child.  Take your job seriously!  


“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."  Mark 9:24

 “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”   Proverbs 4:5-7 

Credit for phrases from article goes to Debi Pearl from No Greater Joy Ministries.