Bath time is an excellent time to begin talking about Protective Behaviors. While washing children you can tell them about their private parts: the parts that nobody can touch unless it’s Mom or Dad giving them a quick wash or putting medicine there, or the Dr. or Nurse having a quick check to make sure all is well. The private parts are the body bits covered by our underwear or swimming costumes. Private means, “This is my body and it’s not for sharing. If you touch, I’m going to tell.” Although this seems super easy to me, many parents struggle to introduce protective language and they look for some easy play “tools” to introduce the topic. Therefore, tools we have: soap and fluffy tulle bath balls.
While using the tickly tulle balls, explain to the child that even though the tickle may feel good, nobody is allowed to do it to them unless it’s like now, bath time, and it’s a quick touch or tickle just for getting their private parts clean. The soap bit is what has me excited though. Read on to find out why!
The magical Mary Poppins has featured in my articles of late. That’s because Mary makes my “sun shine bright” by ensuring the safety of her charges. I want Moms to be Mary’s: prepared to protect ALL children, no matter where they may be. I’ve already discussed in a previous article how to use Mary’s parrot handled umbrella as a protective play tool but Mary Poppins soap is a new idea that I’ve only just stumbled upon on my recent trip to the birthplace of the Mary Poppins author.
The amazingly delicious company Lush has a new cherry blossom soap called 17 Cherry Tree Lane (the address of Mr., Mrs., Michael, and Jane Banks from the Mary Poppins movie). Without realizing what they were doing, Lush has created a perfect Protective Behavior tool for those parents looking for an easy way to talk about body ownership and protective behaviors.
While using 17 Cherry Tree Lane soap on the Tulle Tickler or flannel, tell your child the story of Mary Poppins, how Mary protected children and how she would have gone straight to the police if anyone touched a child’s private parts.
Interestingly, “cherry” is a term that some pedophiles use to sweeten up a child’s acceptance of the pedophiles abusive behavior. They sometimes refer to virginity as “cherry” and are only too happy to love your child into losing their “cherry.” If “cherry” soap can be positively reframed to act as a protective barrier we may just begin to win the fight against these perverse monsters that groom our children to remain silent by using innocence and words that sound nice to little ears.
Mary Poppins is a powerful symbol of childhood. Use her at bath time to protect your child from predators and family members who will trick your child into accommodating their touch. Bath tulle balls and 17 Cherry Tree Lane soap are a protective play idea to make you more Mary like today, but more importantly, to protect your child against child sexual abuse.
Lush is all over the world. To find your closest 17 Cherry Tree Lane soap, click here.
October is Sexual Violence Awareness Month in Queensland, Australia. Every article I write this month will be themed around ending sexual violence.
Related Mary Poppins Protective Behavior articles:
Umbrellas and Parrots to Help Play Protect our Children. Thanks Mary Poppins.
Mary Poppins was Written by a Child in Need of Protection.