In this story, Lauren feels unsafe at school when Hayden-Reece goes into the girls’ toilet and peers over the wall at her. She tells her teacher, Miss Martin, what happened and Miss Martin teaches her class the difference between Public and Private and explains that no one should see or touch their private body parts without their consent and that Private means ‘Just for you’.
The author, Holly-ann Martin, who has over 30 years experience in teaching protective behaviours wrote this book to help parents, teachers and educators teach children the correct anatomical names for their private body parts.
It is essential children know the correct terminology for their private body parts. Firstly, it can be a protective factor in deterring a potential perpetrator, as it indicates the child has received some form of child abuse prevention education and is there is a strong possibility the child will not keep any abuse a secret. Secondly, if a child does suffer some form of abuse and it goes to court, it is very beneficial to the prosecution if the child can articulate what occurred using the correct anatomical names for their private body parts.
This book follows a logical progression in educating children about Public and Private. The lesson starts with public and private rooms in the children’s home and then moves on to public and private language and behaviours, public and private clothing, and culminating in public and private body parts. By following this sequence, children become accustomed to the concepts of public and private, so by the time you get to private body parts, there is a lot less giggling. The story also contains a script for teachers and educators to read to children outlining the classroom rules around discussing Public and Private and what is and what isn’t acceptable behaviour during the lesson.
Teachers and educators can use this book as a direct instruction lesson and read it from cover to cover, and children of all ages will understand the difference between public and private, and how that applies to them personally in their daily lives. However, children will gain a far better understanding of this concept if adults when reading the book to children, stop at the end of each section and brainstorm with them the different public and private rooms, public and private language and behaviours etc. Use this book as an interactive conversation starter; it helps with children’s comprehension of this topic, and some of their answers are quite entertaining!
This book is designed for parents, carers, teachers and educators to read to children and to talk with them about body safety in a fun and safe way. It also contains resource pages for adults, which include going over the main points of protective education, and giving specific information to effectively and efficiently deal with receiving a disclosure of abuse from a child.
This book is the second in a series of books where Miss Martin teaches her students about protective behaviours and is suitable for children aged 4 to 10 years.
