My Space – A Protective Barrier.

Looking for some simple discussion ideas to begin talking about the importance of Body Ownership? Here are three discussion starters suitable for all ages. The sooner you introduce the BITSS way of protecting children from sexual abuse, the better protective play will work. Children are never too young, or too old, to have protective behaviours reinforced.

Fences, windows and doors: Explain to children that the reason we have fences, windows or doors is to give a message of defensible space: space that belongs to us and says “Private. No entry”. That is why we shut the toilet door when we go to the toilet! Sand play is a great way to reinforce defensible space. When your child builds a sand castle tell them that strong walls and moats were a castle’s protection and that a sun hat and sun cream are the child’s protection now, just like wearing swimming costumes to protect private parts.

Atlas/Globe: Using maps or a globe show that every state/suburb/country has a boundary. The boundary shows the body of the country. Most of these countries have armies that help to protect the boundary. Our clothes are like an army. They help to protect our body and give a sign to other people that certain parts of our body are private – the parts we wear underwear or swimming costumes over.

The Great Barrier Reef: One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef is a nature given protective behaviour barrier. The reef acts like a safe house, giving protection to millions of different marine life. The reef has many predators too and different species of marine life have adapted protective behaviours to escape the hungry jaws of predators. Nature gave us brains and mouths – these are our protective ways to escape from dangerous predators. If someone is doing something to you that makes you feel like a jellyfish, it is okay to sting them by using your mouth and telling someone. Make your body a Great Barrier Reef, a special place that is protected by laws that say, you cannot touch the fish, coral or shells on this reef.