Teaching children about body safety and privacy

Parent Educator & Therapist Allison LaTona, MFT, shares advice for parents on the best methods to teach your young child about private parts, body safety, and that they are the boss of their own body
Teaching Young Children About Private Parts and Body Safety
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Teaching children about body safety and privacy

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Teaching your child how to be the boss of their own body, is a gift that you can give to your child. It is a gradual process that needs to be revisited often throughout their childhood. It starts somewhere between 15 and 24 months. When parents look for moments in interactions, typically, in diapering or bathing, where they use the correct anatomical language around the child's private parts. "That's right, penis and vagina." We do this because it helps the child feel respected. It gives them accurate information and we know that it also keeps the child safer in the real world. Predators tend to avoid children that have accurate information, as they know that they have been spoken to by their parents. Also, parents need to work on a body safety rule in the household; that is, nobody is allowed to touch your private parts, except mommy and daddy and the doctor who are helping you keep healthy and safe. You are not allowed to touch other people's private parts. They are private. When we give children these boundaries, it helps them be safe in the world and empowers them.

Parent Educator & Therapist Allison LaTona, MFT, shares advice for parents on the best methods to teach your young child about private parts, body safety, and that they are the boss of their own body

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Allison LaTona, MFT

Parent Educator, Marriage & Family Therapist

Allison LaTona, MFT, is a marriage and family therapist, whose life-changing consultation groups provide a practical and compassionate roadmap for those navigating the journey of parenthood. LaTona has 18 years of experience counseling children, families, couples and individuals, and has facilitated groups in private practice, as well as at Santa Monica's Babygroup with Donna Holloran, MSW, for over a decade. La Tona is an author for Twigtale, an online resource for creating transition books for young children.  

Focusing on respectful parenting philosophies, the power of language, emotional intelligence, and a child's natural developmental capabilities, LaTona offers specific strategies and invaluable insights that ease the inherent challenges of contemporary parenthood. Her work empowers parents with the vision and tools to create thriving and fulfilling family lives, and fosters long-term connections within a supportive community. With 13 years "in the trenches" raising two young children of her own, LaTona's personal path complements her professional credentials. Her empathy, experience, and dedication fuel her passionate commitment to her work.

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Transcription: 
Teaching your child how to be the boss of their own body, is a gift that you can give to your child. It is a gradual process that needs to be revisited often throughout their childhood. It starts somewhere between 15 and 24 months. When parents look for moments in interactions, typically, in diapering or bathing, where they use the correct anatomical language around the child's private parts. "That's right, penis and vagina." We do this because it helps the child feel respected. It gives them accurate information and we know that it also keeps the child safer in the real world. Predators tend to avoid children that have accurate information, as they know that they have been spoken to by their parents. Also, parents need to work on a body safety rule in the household; that is, nobody is allowed to touch your private parts, except mommy and daddy and the doctor who are helping you keep healthy and safe. You are not allowed to touch other people's private parts. They are private. When we give children these boundaries, it helps them be safe in the world and empowers them.