Years ago it was taboo to talk about sex. In some ways it still remains The Unmentionable Crime. Every day children are victimized by someone they know. They are introduced to sexual activities that they are not emotionally ready to experience.

Most people think of child sexual abuse and think of some outside person molesting children. Even though this does happen, and child sex offenders are walking in our midst, it is people that the child most likely knows that offend and cause the most trauma to children in families.

Child Sexual Abuse A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet Julia Whealin, Ph.D.

Child sexual abuse includes a wide range of... more

I am the Chosen Child

In a world of imperfection. I am the chosen child. In the heart's own reflection. I am designed and styled.

When no one else could fill it. I am there to space the need. However God shall will it? I am anothers seed.

My eyes are in reflection. Of all the sorrows born. A gift of such perfection. God's voice could calm the storm.

My new but barren mother. My life shall fill her days. We shall belong to one another. To paint the world and to amaze.

Out of many I was chosen. To be her special child. In a world thats almost frozen. I was so meek... more

It is the time of year that all little first graders are learning how to subtract, how to read graphs of bunnies and boxes, and how to count by ones, fives, and tens to one hundred.

We just passed Dr. Seuss's birthday, so of course we read Cat In The Hat and, several other of his books. We made green eggs and ham for breakfast and of course my daughter asked for more when she got home.

Once again helping her learn her counting and her words, I find she transposes letters and numbers but only certain ones. She writes 3s backwards still and she often will write 16 as 61 or 15 as 51. Words that start with a T she has to stop and think about as well as ones that start... more

In the hush and rush of everyday life We often do not take the time to teach and reinforce the important stuff to the kids.

One of those things is the topic of morals. How do you teach a child good morals? In my search for a good answer I turned to my inner self. I asked myself what are my moral values and how do I convey them to my children. Without pushing.

From "10 Tips To Raising Moral Kids" by Michele Borba, Ed.D. on her web page: http://www.micheleborba.com/Pages/ArtBMI13.htm

Be a Strong Moral Example Parents are their children's first and most powerful moral teachers, so make... more

For any parent who is adopting from an agency or from a state program, there are things you need to be aware of. One is "Childhood Depression."

What was once thought to be just an adult onset illness has now been studied and it is vastly spreading in our child population.

Depression occurs when you experience a life altering change. A death of a loved one, loss of family stability, illness, parental divorce, break up of boy/girl friend.

In the case of an older child adoption, you can be sure that depression can be an issue. For whatever reason they have lost the only family they have ever known. It is devastating and hard for a child to understand. They often... more