Four Family Exercises to Help Reduce Child Abuse and Neglect
April is National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. 411-KIDS, a volunteer organization that serves homeless, at-risk and disadvantaged youth on the streets and in classrooms, is asking parents and children to participate in four brief activities during the month to strengthen their relationships.
(PRWEB) April 2, 2004 -- In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, 411-KIDS is asking parents and adult mentors to participate in four weekly half-hour relationship building exercises with children during the month of April.
Activities that encourage open communications and safe emotional connection are key to building healthy relationships and preventing child abuse and neglect," said Seth Eisenberg, executive director of the nonprofit 411-KIDS volunteer organization.
The Florida group has teamed up with psychologist Lori Gordon to identify four specific exercises for children and parents. Dr. Gordon, author of Passage to Intimacy and If You Really Loved Me, said the exercises can reduce child abuse by helping parents and children create deeper bonds with each other. Abuse is less likely in families when parents and children are connected, caring, empathetic and emotionally open in an environment of mutual respect and concern," said Dr. Gordon.
Instructions and downloadable worksheets to accompany the following exercises are available for free at www.411kids.org or by mail for a nominal fee.
Week One -- Connections: Families participate in a conversation in which each member shares, in sequence, (1) Appreciations, (2) New Information, (3) Puzzles and (4) Wishes, Hopes or Dreams.
Week Two - Caring Behaviors: Children and parents make lists of actions that make them feel cared about, exchange and discuss their lists, and then post them at home as encouraging reminders.
Week Three -- Powergram/Who Decides: Structured activity helps clarify hidden expectations and power sharing through illustrated conversation about who gets to decide what, who has influence in specific areas, and how decisions are reached.
Week Four - Emotional Jug or Mad, Sad, Scared, Glad: Younger children create drawing showing positive and negative feelings theyre holding inside for discussion with parent. Teenagers talk about range of emotions in presence of one or more attentive, non-judging parents.
Dr. Gordon is the creator of PAIRS and PAIRS for PEERS, communications and emotional literacy courses for youth, couples and families that are taught nationwide.
For additional information on the recommended exercises, visit www.411kids.org or call (877) 411-KIDS.
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