Kelsey’s Story

As most of my regulars know, I am a great supporter of Child Abuse Prevention.  What I have not said previously is the reason behind this.  I was not abused as a child.  My mother was strict and I won’t deny I got smacked but mostly I had actually done something to earn it (like cussed at my mother at the age 11, or mouthing off to my grandmother at age 12) and I was spanked but again, I’d earned it.  I was not always an obedient kid and I’m a firm believer that it takes a combination of firmness and gentleness to raise a kid right.  Now I was never abused, don’t make any mistake about it, I was never hit harder than you might smack the back of the hand reaching for the cookie jar.  It stung and it was embarrassing and that was about it. 

No, the reason I am so actively fighting child abuse is because of my god-sister.  She will be seven this January.  She is one of the sweetest, most loving little girls I have ever known and she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.  Her father, my cousin, on the other hand is very different.  He is bipolar and refuses to take his medication.  Her mother isn’t all that great either but she’s a little better.  When my god-sister started having bruises that she couldn’t explain (more than your normal 4 year old I assure you) we began to suspect that her father was abusing her, although maybe not on purpose.  All the same, we notified the authorities and while no allegations could be substantiated she was given into the custody of her maternal grandparents.  The bruises  stopped appearing. 

I had always supported abuse prevention before then but it was in that offhand kind of way that so many of us think of it in.  "It can’t happen that often, but even so, I’ll give some money here and there.  Oh sure I’ll wear that ribbon, it’s no problem."  And most of us do this in April during CAP Awareness month.  Well we can’t just fight it then because I’m afraid it happens far more often than most of us are willing to see.

MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE END

Cause some dont get that chance………..

SORRY MOMMY & DADDY.
I didn’t mean to spill my milk at dinner last night.

SORRY MOMMY & DADDY.
I didn’t mean to play with my dolls that long.

SORRY MOMMY & DADDY.
I didn’t mean to be a mistake.. why can’t I eat?

SORRY MOMMY & DADDY.
i didn’t mean to pee in my pants yesterday.

SORRY MOMMY & DADDY.
I didn’t mean to cry when my bath water was too hot.

SORRY MOMMY & DADDY.
I love you! Why don’t you love me back? Why is everything I do wrong?

1,504,000 CHILDREN GET ABUSED BY THEIR GUARDIANS. IT’S NOT RIGHT. THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE TO SUFFER.