Have you seen the “Me too” posts going around on social media? It’s a post designed to bring awareness to the prevalence of sexual abuse. Anyone who’s status says “Me too” is indicating that they have been the victim of sexual abuse or harassment. And sadly, these posts are popping up by the thousands!
I have worked with young people, male and female, that have been victimized sexually and it’s nearly impossible to heal from such acts, and many don’t.
You can never guarantee 100% that you’ll prevent your own children from falling victim to this type of heinous act, but there are definitely things you can do that will give you the best possible odds for preventing such a tragedy.
Please read and share these tips with your friends because knowledge is only power when it’s applied and shared!
Tips to prevent your child from being sexually abused:
1 Focus on the relationship you have with your child MORE than your expectations of your child. In other words, your relationship comes first even if they get bad grades, disappoint you, make a bad choice, or are misbehaving!
2 Call body parts by their proper names! It’s a penis, breasts, and a vagina, not a wee wee, pee pee, ding dong, boobies, or a hoo haw. These are body parts, call them by name because the more secretive you make them, the more you program your child to believe they are “unspeakable.” You WANT them to be able to talk about their body parts and understand fully who is allowed to touch them, see them, and talk about them…. mommy, daddy, or the doctor when mommy and daddy are in the room!
3 Choose babysitters VERY carefully. Bear in mind that 7 out of 10 sexual assaults happen by someone they victim knows…. usually a relative.
4 Have a plan in case your child get’s lost in the store. I used to tell my kids that if they ever got lost, find a woman and ask for help… never a man. Yes, I know that seems sexist. I don’t care. The facts are clear and most sexual predators are men, not women. I also used to put a small laminated card under the sole of their shoe with their phone number and address on it in case they ever needed it and couldn’t remember their info.
5 Don’t force kids to be around adults they don’t like. This one kills me!! If a child is uncomfortable with an adult, there is probably a reason!! Don’t force kids to “be polite” or “he’s your uncle, don’t be rude, just give uncle a kiss!” Gross. Kids should NEVER be made to show affection if they don’t want to, and they should know it’s OK for them to say NO… even to an adult!
6 Talk about secrets with your kids. Let them know that adults don’t get to have secrets with kids unless mommy and daddy are in on it! Abusers always use the “it’s a secret” card so be sure your kids know that secrets are not OK!
7 Make it safe for your child to be open and honest. Encourage them to talk to you by talking to them and being available without distractions! Let them know that no matter what they tell you, they won’t get in trouble! Talk, talk, and talk some more!
8 Know who they are spending time with! Get to know their friends AND their friends parents too. I am a huge fan of having kids over to MY house so I know exactly what’s going on. My kids always knew they could have friends over!
It’s absolutely heart breaking to see all the “Me too” posts on Facebook, let’s do all we can so that our own children never have to say “Me too.”
For MORE on this topic, please be sure to get my book Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness which includes all of my best advice for parenting, and navigating the chaos of life!
Please reach out if you need help. <3
With love, gratitude, and inspiration,
Heather Paris
www.liveinspirednow.com
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
Shit rolls down hill but so does kindness!
Kids will say, do, and behave the way you do!
They will love, nurture, appreciate, compliment, grow, learn, and light up the way you do.
They will also hate, avoid, ignore, insult, and self deprecate the way you do as well.
Negative emotions aren’t bad unless you don’t know how to handle them!
Currently, more than 1 in 5 children have a “mental illness.” This is NOT because all of the sudden kids just started being born mentally ill.
It’s directly because kids today do not learn emotional intelligence which leaves them susceptible to influences that will negatively impact their development.
It’s up to us as parents, teachers, mentors, and caring adults to be the example we want our kids to become!
Here are a few suggestions to up your parenting game:
- Greet your kids when they arrive home from school
- Provide nutrient dense food and snacks
- Give kids a bed time and abide by it
- Don’t allow screens at the dinner table
- Have dinner together at the table
- Sit and talk with your kids without phones, computers, and social media
- Know your kids friends
- Say NO to your kids now and then
- Do not do their homework or projects
- Let them discuss challenges with their teachers without your help
- Give them chores and enforce that they do them
- Read together, take a class together, exercise together, do something TOGETHER
- Praise efforts not results
- Ask and LISTEN
- Empower don’t enable
I’ve always tried to raise my kids based on this quote:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
-Kahlil Gibran
Need help? Don’t wait til it’s too late, contact me now!
Have an exceptional week!
With love, gratitude, and inspiration,
Heather Paris
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
OMG. Seriously… It seems the tagline “What happens in Vegas” really does bring out some horrendous behavior in people as Thad mentioned in the email last week! (Thank you Thad! <3)
I saw way too many boobs and even a penis when one guy just decided to whip it out as I walked to Starbucks one day! Gross.
Anyway, besides all the private parts, I also learned a ton of awesome stuff, and observed many things that inspired some good thoughts!
To keep this shorter than a book, I will just bullet point some stuff and feel free to Contact me!! if you’d like further information or clarification!
Mindset Tips:
- Action, not thought, will always bring more clarity.
- Righteousness doesn’t make you better, it only separates you from others.
- With smart phones everywhere… nothing truly “stays in Vegas!”
- Acknowledging your challenges is the first step to overcoming them.
- Do what’s good for your business, not your ego!
- If you can give, help, or serve… please do!
- Your body parts are NOT what make you appealing. Your heart and mind are.
- Be more interesting by being more interested in others.
- Trade your vision board for an “ACTION” board!
- Your kids will be as emotionally strong as you are!
- Never take your kids to Las Vegas unless you have to. And if you do, be ready to shield their eyes!
- Make a decision. Make a plan. Make it happen.
- “Busy” is not “Business.”
- Don’t wait to make a change in your life because you may miss the opportunity!
- ***Want to hang out with mindset masters? Contact me!!***
Business Tips:
- Keep going so when you do come up for air, you have something to celebrate!
- Don’t trade who you truly are, for what you want. Be who you are and the rewards will come.
- There is nothing comfortable about being broke.
- Do what’s good for your business, not your ego!
- The more you read, the more you grow!
- Step up your game by hanging out with people who have achieved more than you.
- It’s easier to make money when you have mentors or coaches.
- Knowing exactly “WHY” you want to succeed is FUEL for success!
- Wealth is having the freedom to do what you want, when you want, and where you want!
- Don’t work for money, work for purpose and the money will follow.
- Fire bad clients.
- You are only as good as your team.
- Never pre-judge a person on whether they will be interested, or able to afford your product or service.
- ***Want to take your business to the next level? Contact me!!***
Weight Loss Tips:
- Keep going so when you do come up for air, you have something to celebrate!
- Eat whats good for your body, not your mouth!
- Deep sleep plays a HUGE role in successful weight loss.
- Food effects mood.
- It is NOT hard to eat healthy while on vacation with the right system.
- The belly buster REALLY works to take inches off your belly! (Ask me about my weight loss system.)
- Lifting weights / resistance training helps you lose fat easier and faster.
- Avoid all you can eat buffets!! (I may have learned this one the hard way at the Bellagio!)
- You NEED a coach to hold you accountable.
- Intermittent fasting is excellent for fat loss, and internal detoxifying!
- Fat gets a bad rap, but it actually accrues to protect your body from toxins.
- Sweating doesn’t mean fat loss, it means water loss. You should be able to “talk” through your workouts without panting.
- Health depends more upon nutrition than it does exercise.
- 48% of adults do not get enough magnesium which supports nerve function, blood pressure, strong bones, and a steady heart beat.
- Diets do not work. Eating nutrient dense food does!
- Feel your soul more than you feed your body and you will lose weight.
- ***Want to lose weight with me? Contact me!!***
- JOIN ME FOR A FACEBOOK LIVE TONIGHT (TUESDAY, AUGUST 15TH) AT 7PM FOR MORE WEIGHT LOSS TIPS!!!
As you can see, I took a lot away from Las Vegas! Some good, some not so good, but ALL useful!
On a personal note…. I decided to walk everywhere instead of taking Uber and it was great exercise! My last day, I walked 9.2 miles in 108 degree weather!!
I went to a cocktail party in a new size 8 dress (high school size) and had dinner at the top of the Stratosphere in the revolving restaurant while bungee jumpers jumped off in front of us! Yikes!
I also got to see some amazing people… Tony Robbins, Flo Rida (rapper) and Montell Jordan (rapper)!!!
Life is truly as good as you decide it to be! Life happens… some good, some bad, but WE are always able to decide how we act, react, and interact with our world! Never let a tagline determine your behavior, choices, or life!
Questions? Contact me!!
With love, gratitude, and inspiration,
Heather Paris
PS:
Have you joined the life coach certification training yet??? Enrollment closes at the end of August and will not be open again until next Spring! Become a coach and change your relationships, family, career, and life… JOIN US NOW!!!
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
Carrie, Harry, and Madison on one of our adventures to the park!
“EAT SOMETHING, AND BE IN THE CAR IN 15 MINUTES!!!”
This has become one of my kids all time favorite phrases!
At least once per Summer, I’d wake my kids up with this phrase! And after a while, they learned not to ask questions, they would eat quickly, and excitedly pile into the car because they knew….. it’s adventure time!
Growing up, my mother took flying lessons, worked at NASA, and drove a silver convertible. My dad blasted rock and roll music on his reel to reel and took us to the record store where we would look at albums for what seemed like hours! On my birthday, they would bring me to the toy store and say “pick out one thing… whatever you want!”
My parents were adventurous, I am adventurous, and now my kids are adventurous! That’s how it works!
So after the kids wake up, eat something, and pile into the car… I drive! I let them guess where we are going but I never tell them. Then it happens…. we pull into the amusement park and squeals of delight can be heard!
Every year it’s some place new… not always an amusement park, but always someplace fun and unexpected.
There is nothing more special than sharing an adventure with the ones you love most!
It doesn’t have to be anything expensive either! You could pack a picnic, the kids bathing suits, and head to the park. Or coordinate with other parents and meet up at a playground and let all the kids play together!
Whatever you do…. create a suspenseful adventure and you will be the HERO of the Summer!!! You can do this for your spouse too!
Fun, adventure, excitement, and spontaneity are not just for kids! Throw romance in there as well and really knock it out of the park!!
Create your adventure today and let me know what you do! Maybe I’ll steal YOUR idea too! 🙂
Have a spectacular week!
Have you joined the Live Inspired Now Coach Training??? yet?
Our students are making massive changes in the lives of their patients, students, children, co-workers, clients, companies, as well as their own lives as a result of this course, and we think you’d fit right in!
Join us today…. we only accept 30 students and enrollment will not be open again until next Spring:
Questions? Just hit reply to this email and I’d be happy to reply!
With love, gratitude, and inspiration,
Heather Paris
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
What’s better than the Live Inspired Now Coach Training???
Getting your boss to pay your tuition for you!!
Many companies are beginning to see the importance of investing in their employees personal growth and development. I mean really….
Happy employees = Happy customers!
Since some of you have asked about material to present to your employer, we’ve put together packets that highlight the benefits of the Live Inspired Now Coach Training!
The professional packet includes an application with the option for your employer to pay your tuition, as well as a flyer, and a letter for your boss!
If you’d like a packet to present to your employer, please just hit reply to this email and give me your mailing address and or email address for a digital copy!
Enrollment for this session ends August 31st, or when we reach capacity of 30 students so please don’t wait!
We have a very strong network of students who are making massive changes in the lives of their patients, students, children, co-workers, clients, companies, as well their own lives as a result of this course, and we think you’d fit right in!
Just reply to this email and let us send you what you need to speak with your boss!
With love, gratitude, and inspiration,
Heather Paris
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!