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ADDISON POST Saturday, APRIL 13, 2013 Page 10<br />
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month<br />
Please join us in showing that you care about making a difference for the kids and families of our<br />
community. Pinwheels and Promises events are being held across the county and the country to raise<br />
awareness about what we can do to keep child abuse from ever happening in the first place.<br />
Child Abuse Prevention Month is a celebration. It’s a celebration of childhood…and our belief that all<br />
children deserve to grow up in families and communities that love them, nurture them and protect them.<br />
The pinwheels that you will see around town stand as symbols of the carefree joy that childhood should<br />
be all about …the kind of childhood we wish every child could have.<br />
But wishing isn’t enough… Research says kids have the best chance for success when their parents<br />
have a good understanding of the ages and stages of child development, access to resources in time<br />
of need, and day- to- day support from support from family and friends. So… we are also celebrating<br />
the power we have as parents, kinfolk, neighbors, and other caring adults to make our homes and our<br />
communities peaceful, stable, safe places for our kids to grow up in.<br />
Children and youth ages 0-17 make up only 25% of our total population but, guess what? They are<br />
100% of our future. And we’re talking about the NEAR future…we know all too well how fast time flies…<br />
before we know it these kids will be grown up…they will be our tradespeople, teachers, coaches, doctors,<br />
bankers, and maybe most importantly the people who care for us in our old age. If they grow up<br />
to be healthy, productive adults, we all win. In other words, if we help children do better today, we all<br />
do better tomorrow. And that’s where the “Promises” come in.<br />
All you have to do is, make and keep a promise to do something to make a difference in the life of child.<br />
It can be as simple as slowing down and giving a child your undivided attention or lending your ear to a<br />
parent who is really stressed out or it can be more involved like volunteering your time and talent for our<br />
youth centers, church groups, or preschool programs. And …just in case you can’t think of anything…<br />
go to the home page of Prevent Child Abuse America, www.preventchildabuse.org and click on “What<br />
You Can Do”, for some great suggestions. While it’s true that families have the main responsibility for<br />
raising their kids…families live in communities and if we want what’s best for kids..it takes all of us<br />
doing our part. The most important thing is not WHAT you do, but that you do WHATEVER YOU CAN,<br />
WHENEVER YOU CAN, to support strong families and nurture strong children!
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