Education on child abuse prevention is goal for CCW commission

by Rosemary Van Keulen

October was National Domestic Violence Awareness month, a time to take a personal stand to end domestic violence. We cannot turn our backs on the battered and their children. We need to teach our children that violence is not an acceptable way to handle conflicts and problems.

The week of October 28-November 5 is Pornography Awareness Week. The family Concerns Commission, with the Reverence Life Committee, will support the White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) program. Pornography is a form of child abuse. The display of a white ribbon (on your person, your car, home or office desk) will raise awareness of the evil of pornography and encourage us to speak, loud and clear, that we cannot tolerate pornography in our society.

Another form of child abuse is neglect. Parents teach by word and example, whether these words and actions are right or wrong. Children are very observant. Be loving, but firm in your guidance. Give children opportunities that teach them responsibility. Be sure to give them age appropriate tasks. Hold them accountable for quality and completion of work. Mistakes are treated as learning experiences. Teach them the basic principles.

In the November 2000 issue of St. Anthony Messenger is the article, The Forgotten Art of Blessing. It says to never let a day slip by where we don’t, in some small way, call forth the vision of goodness into the lives of our children.

It suggests these simple daily gestures - place your hand on the forehead and say "God be with you" as they head out for school in the morning and trace the Sign of the Cross on their forehead and say "God be with you" or "May God bless you" before they go to sleep.