Kids-TALK Children's Advocacy Center

One way we can keep children safe is to teach them about personal boundaries, including the difference between keeping good and bad secrets. Boundaries help children feel empowered and in control. They allow kids to set limits for themselves and feel safe to tell a trusted adult if someone crosses their boundary.? ? Here are some resources that our Kids-TALK CAC team loves for helping kids learn about boundaries; check them out!? ? "Do You Have a Secret?" by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos: https://lnkd.in/ejNax2dA? ? "Protect Yourself Rules - Secrets" created by Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation: https://lnkd.in/etEbquU? ? "My Body Safety Rules - 5 Things Every Child Should Know" created by Educate2Empower Publishing: https://lnkd.in/eAHRD_Gi? ? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ? #children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? ?

#Educationalpost! Let's talk sleepover safety. At Kids-TALK Children's Advocacy Center, the safety and well-being of children are our top priority! Raising awareness is critical in preventing child abuse.? ? Sleepovers can be an exciting and fun experience for kids, but it is important to make sure we make sleepovers as safe as possible. Here are some tips, but it is also important to teach children body safety and trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, it is okay to say "no" to the sleepover. Let's work together to keep children safe!? ? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #endchildabuse? ?

It's #MindfulnessMonday and today we are looking at the second of a three-part series about what mindful families do differently, according to an article by Mindful. Try these strategies to increase your well-being and strengthen your relationships in your family.? ? - Communicate Courageously: Being vulnerable is hard and we often avoid the tough but necessary conversations with our loved ones. See if you can identify something that has been bothering you that you haven't shared with a loved one. Try and get at what the heart of the issue is for you. Then see if you feel ready to approach your family member with openness and curiosity to express how you feel.? ? - Practice Appreciation and Gratitude: Try to look for opportunities to be intentional about showing appreciation. Start small and choose something you feel truly grateful for. Gratitude is contagious, so don't be surprised if you start feeling more appreciated too!? ? Here is the link to the full Mindful article: https://lnkd.in/gjqMTEK? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ? #children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? #mindfulness #gratitude #thankful #meditation #reset #center #focus

It's #MindfulnessMonday and today we are looking at the first of a three-part series about what mindful families do differently, according to an article by Mindful. Try these strategies to increase your well-being and strengthen your relationships in your family.? ? - Embrace Imperfection: We will never be the perfect caregiver, partner, or family member and that's okay! By embracing our own imperfections, we model and make it safe for other people in our family to show up as their true selves too. Next time you are feeling like you aren't measuring up, practice this mantra: "My mind is telling me I am falling short, but the truth is, I am doing the best I can." Sit with these words and see if you can change how you feel, even just a bit.? ? - Listen with Curiosity: We are often distracted and not really present with our loved ones. Try and catch yourself when you start to feel distracted or like you are not really listening. Take a deep breath and see if you can redirect yourself to be fully present and listen.? ? Here is the link to the full Mindful article: https://lnkd.in/gjqMTEK? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ? #children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? #mindfulness #gratitude #thankful #meditation #reset #center #focus

#MindfulnessMonday It's November and that means it's #NationalGratitudeMonth! Research shows that practicing gratitude leads to more positive emotions, enjoying positive experiences more fully, stronger relationships with others, and can actually improve our health!? ? Looking for ways to start or strengthen your gratitude practice? Try these:? ? - Start or end your day by writing down three things you are grateful for in the moment. ? - Write a thank you or appreciation card to a loved one.? - Put a little extra in the tip jar next time you go out to eat or grab a drink.? ? What is your favorite way to express gratitude? Leave a comment below!? ? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ? #children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? #mindfulness #gratitude #thankful #meditation #reset #center

Wow!! Our community continues to amaze us! We are incredibly grateful to Meijer (Woodhaven, Michigan) for their generous $5,000 donation to support our mission! Their Meijer Team Gives program empowered their team members to work together to identify, research, and vote for worthy organizations in their community. Thank you to the entire team for helping us provide vital support to children and families! Thank you, Meijer for making a difference! #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ?#children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? #gratitude #thankful #CommunitySupport #ThankYouMeijer

#HappyHalloween from your friends at Kids-TALK CAC!? ? Halloween is a perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness! If you are going out Trick or Treating or passing out candy tonight, try to use all five of your senses throughout the evening.? ? What do you taste? Yummy candy?? What do you see? Elaborate, spooky, or silly costumes?? What do you hear? The sound of children's laughter?? What do you feel? A cool breeze or chill in the air?? What do you smell? The smell of Fall leaves?? ? We hope everyone has a very safe, fun, and spooky day!? ? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? #mindfulness #holiday

What do we do if we suspect a child in our life is being groomed for abuse? Perpetrators often demonstrate a lot of patience and work slowly to overcome barriers in order to abuse children. 90% of perpetrators are known to the child, so it can be misleading, as offenders are often well-known or highly regarded. Teach the children in your life that they can come to you with any situations that are confusing or uncomfortable and that they are allowed to say "no" when it comes to their body. Help protect children by recognizing the signs of grooming and intervening on the child's behalf. If you identify an inappropriate boundary, intervene, reset the boundary, and then work to ensure that the person is willing to follow the limit that you set. If not, remove the child from the situation whenever possible. Together, we can work to keep children safe! #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #prevention #endchildabuse? #community

#MindfulnessMonday At Kids-TALK CAC, we are big fans of belly breathing! It helps us calm down, slow down raising thoughts, and connect us back to our bodies.? ? We really love this variation on belly breathing, teddy bear breath! This is a great way to each little ones about belly breathing in a way that is fun and concrete.? ? Have your child lie down on their back and place a teddy bear or other stuffed animal on their belly. Let them watch as the stuffed animal moves up and down while they breathe. Instruct them to breathe faster and ask them what happens to their stuffed animal. Then instruct them to slow down and take deeper breaths and ask them what happens with their stuffed animal. Ask them about how they feel when they breathe quickly versus more slowly. ? ? Grabbing our teddy bears and trying it now! Let us know what you think in the comments below!? .? .? .? ? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ? #children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? #mindfulness #gratitude #thankful #meditation #reset #center #focus

#Educationalpost Identifying behavioral signs and symptoms of abuse can be tricky. Children are often afraid to tell anyone what happened because they think that no one will believe them, they are scared they are going to be in trouble, or because they love is the person who abused them. Often, children are hoping that someone will ask them questions so that they can answer the questions and disclose the abuse.? ? Being mindful of behavioral and mental health changes that raise concern for abuse is very important, but it is also important to remember that stressful situations (other than abuse) can also cause changes in children's behavior and mental health.? ? If you are unsure, seek the guidance of professionals, as there is no universal behavioral response to being abused. If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, please report your concern to 855-444-3911 any time day or night.? .? .? .? #kidstalkcac #guidancecentermi #childrensadvocacycenters #nonprofit ? #children #advocacy #therapy #forensicinterview #medical #traumainformed #childcentered #detroit #southgatemi #waynecountymi #michigan #trauma #healing #resilience #support #donate #mission #endchildabuse? ?