Learning the Difference Between Secrets and Surprises
Within South Australia, one of the requirements for holding a teacher registration is to be trained to deliver the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum. This curriculum includes lessons on warning signs, safe and unsafe situations, safe places, and people with whom they are comfortable and secrets.
One of the trickiest things as a parent is knowing how to tackle the situation of secrets. It is highly natural for people to keep certain things to themselves. Still, it starts getting into uncharted waters when other adults or children assist other children in not telling others important information and keeping it a secret instead.
Since becoming a parent myself, I have decided to maintain a no-secrets policy with my child. As he gets older, I will talk to him about secrets and what they are. Together, we will learn about secrets, introduce the concept of surprises, and clearly distinguish the difference between both.
One foundational strategy I am instilling from a young age is belief. No matter what they come and tell me, I will always believe my children when they come to me with anything someone may have told them to keep a secret. This is powerful for your relationship with your child. Knowing that they have someone in the corner who will always back them no matter what lays the foundation for them coming to you with more significant things in the future.
