When Your Child Should Disobey The Authority

  Okay...they are beautiful aren't they?  Among the most often heard comments when people see us out in public are:  "Still trying for a boy?", "Are ALL five yours?", and my personal favorite, "You DO know how that happens, don't you?"  You have to laugh at that kind of ignorant, closed-minded view...if only to keep yourself  from punching a total stranger in the face. 
   We feel so blessed to have such lovely daughters, both inside and out.  We hope to train them for life and godliness, by teaching them to be loving, responsible adults.  From early on we teach them to obey the first command with a cheerful heart, but we also have to teach them when NOT to obey.  It is a sad truth that in our world we have to teach our children, girls and boys, to resist an adult who would abuse their bodies sexually.  I hate this topic, but I think it is one we must mention in our talks about parenting.
   Statistics are cold truths, so I won't post any.  A more meaningful truth is that almost all of you who read this blog will either have experienced this kind of abuse first hand, or know someone who did.  It is a difficult thing for a child who is taught to trust authority, is then abused by it. The emotional and physical damage is great.
    From an early age we teach our children about their private parts and who may touch them, and for what reason: a doctor who is caring for their health, or a parent who is helping to clean them until they can care for themselves responsibly.   If any other authority such as a pastor, teacher, relative, etc. should approach them and touch them, they are told to yell and run.  Details are not needed to equip our children to deal with the world's ugliness.  I hope and pray that none of  these ladies have to experience this kind of evil, but I want them to know that this situation is one where it is needful to disobey an authority.
  My oldest and I had to have an even harder talk recently, prompted by a near abduction of a homeschool girl in our area.  The girl was out playing in her yard, and a man jumped out of a white van and quickly approached her.  The girl ran quickly into the house.  The man, thinking that she was home alone, came to the front door and banged on it loudly.  He retreated quickly when the mother came to the door, making some thin excuse and jumping into the van.  So, I had to explain about the dark truth of human trafficking and young girls of 12 or 13 being prime targets. We talked about running from strangers who might ask her to help them find a "lost puppy" or some other excuse to prey upon the tender feelings of a young girl in order to make her come with them.  We talked about screaming, "This is NOT my parent, call 911!", etc.  We can not protect her from every evil, but we certainly do her no favors by keeping her unprepared and ignorant.
  It is a hard world, and it seems to be getting harder every year.  We do not need to live in fear, but we do need to be equipped, prepared and wise.  I hope that you will make time to have the hard discussions, even young ones can be equipped without terrorizing them.  Tailor the talk to the age of your child. Please, don't think it could never happen to your child, you do them a great disservice by not being aware, and not making them aware.