Educating Your Child About Good Touch and Bad Touch

When we come across news on child abuse, kidnaps, molestation, etc., we obviously worry about our kids. If you are a parent to a young child, you will want to keep kid safe and protected, no doubt, but to keep kid safe, you cannot just lock kids inside the house. If you want kids to be confident and want kids to achieve kids dreams, you will have to allow kids to leave the comfort of kids home and explore the outside world. But at the same time, what you can do as a parent is to prepare your kiddo to face the (good and bad) world. In today times, it is imperative that you teach your child about good touch and bad touch. While you may think that your child is too young to understand the difference between the good and bad touch, sexual development, and other such topics, but kid is not. You can follows these subjects with ease so that kid learns about it from an early age & without getting scared.

What is good touch and bad touch?

Good touch: A touch that makes a child feel secure, cared for and happy. For example a mother hugging a child or a grandparent kissing their child or a doctor examining a child. Any touch that makes the child happy or secure is a good touch.

Bad touch: A touch that makes a child uncomfortable, afraid or nervous is a bad touch. The child will not feel safe with a bad touch. For example, if an adult touches your child and tells him or her not to tell anyone, or if your child feels very uncomfortable when kissed or touched, then it is a bad touch.

How can you teach your children about good touch and bad touch?

• Tell your children that only they own their bodies, no one else. Teach your child that no one has the right to touch them if they do not want to be touched. Tell them that certain parts of their body are private. Children as young as two years old understand that some body parts are private. Only Mum and Dad or someone parents have appointed can touch them there while bathing or cleaning them.
• Give the swimsuit example: Explain to your child that the parts of his or her body that are covered by a swimsuit are extremely private. So, no one should ever touch him or her there. Despite this, if it happens, he or she should report it to you or to the school teacher so that action is taken.
• Teach them to say NO: Explain to your child that they have the right to tell someone not to touch them or some parts of their body. If some is trying to hug or kiss them and they feel uncomfortable or afraid, they can say No.
• Talk to them in a casual and easy manner: While this is a serious topic, try to keep the conversation casual so that the child is comfortable talking about it. For example, introduce this topic when you are having dinner, or giving your child a bath.
• Tell them about good touch and bad touch: Explain to your child that a good touch will never make them uncomfortable or afraid but a bad touch will. Teach them to run away if someone tries to touch them inappropriately or if they feel scared or insecure.
• Use books or videos to explain: Now a days there are many good books and videos available on this topic. Books contain good illustrations making it easy to explain and understand. Videos on this topic are also freely available on YouTube.

Come, let join hands to make this world a better and safer place for our young generation. Although many children this age tend to tell stories, it is vital that as a parent, you support them, and believe them. They need to know they can trust you, and that you will protect them.