The Notebook

"i would kill a pedophile to protect my child" ok but would you teach your child how to say no? even to adults? even to adults you like? would you teach your child the words "penis" and "vulva" and then use them? would you let them ask questions about their body? would you answer them honestly? would you learn how to cope with your feelings when you talk about human bodies, so they don't feel ashamed? would you set a positive example for how you talk about your body? would you tell your child they don't have to hug or kiss anyone? would you tell your family the same? would you stand by them when they refuse to hug someone? even someone you know has never done anything to hurt them? would you let your child avoid food they don't like? would you let you child avoid people they don't like? would you believe them? would you sit in the discomfort of not knowing all the answers and not take it out on them? would you love your child the same if someone did hurt them? would you make them feel valued just as they are? would you let them talk to doctors or nurses in private? would you let them express their feelings? would you show interest in their life? would you let your child say no to you? would you help your child feel safe coming to you when they make a mistake? would you apologize to your child? would you believe them? would you put aside your anger to focus on what would make your child feel safe and loved? would you put your ego aside for your child? would you take your child's concerns seriously? would you listen to your child? would you believe them?

that one thread about going back into a burning building to save your beloved pet gives me a lot of the same energy as this -- yeah, it's fun to fantasize about the Heroic Deed that you would commit on behalf of your loved one, while side-eyeing or outright sneering at people who aren't willing to make such grand declarations. but the odds that you're going to be called on to perform the Grand Heroic Deed is pretty low; in the meanwhile, are you performing the mundane, tedious, and sometimes unpleasant day-to-day work of preparing your loved one for this scenario? have you tested your smoke alarm batteries in the last six months? have you trained your pets to go to the door in case of an alarm? do you have a fire extinguisher in your house?