THE WHY
Why did you write a story for kids about private parts?
Our Story
I wrote this story with my son, following a difficult night at a sleepover. Following the incident of unwanted touch, my son and I started journaling. He was upset about the night. He knew the body boundary rules and safety rules. On that night, I was at the hospital with a new baby complication. This was before cell phones! My son was able to follow our safety plans and report the incident to me in the morning.
He told his friend NO!
He went and told the mom what was happening!
She did not listen and sent him back to his friend’s room.
The problems continued, and my son made a plan. It was not an ideal plan. But, he decided to tell the mom he felt sick and wanted to be near the bathroom because he might throw up. My son slept on the bathroom floor and locked his friend out. He made a safety plan that worked in this situation. He also told me right away what happened when I came home from the hospital.
I Said No! Was inspired by this moment in our lives. But, also many other real-life kid stories. Zack and I started to write in his journal about his night and his plan. We developed a Think, Say, Do Strategies. Before we knew it, the journal was full of great kid generated scenarios. These scenarios were terrific because they were real situations that every kid could encounter. We both realized that his writing and my experiences would really make a powerful book for kids.
Our book was published after a great deal of research and training on my part. I became a Darkness To Light Sexual Abuse Prevention Facilitator and Specialist. Currently, I train adults in a program called “STEWARDS OF CHILDREN.” I also educate camps, church groups, and parent groups, intending to spread this message out to everyone.
TADA!
SIMPLY SAFE KIDS - PROACTIVE PARENTING ONLINE COURSE was born!
Click on the video below to learn about I Said No! a kid-to-kid guide to keeping private parts private
