Safe Touch, is it a game??

They were asking him to take off his shorts. I’m not sure if he resisted. He probably thought it was a funny game because he is so used to moving his bum at home while being changed. He makes funny song too about the bum sometimes. The kids ran away immediately after being yelled at by his father. He, instantly started to howl and clung to his father.

The mum was in the kitchen, fixing lunch for all of them. It was a weekend, she decided to delay her usual chores a little, only for today. On other days, she worked as per the hands of the clock, at least she believed she did!!

She left the gas on and rapidly rushed to the door on hearing his wailing voice. The father narrated the incident to her, she took him in her arms, he clung to her neck and her waist. She was furious, absolutely manic with anger, she asked her boy, around whom her world revolved, if they touched him inappropriately. He nodded, in a “no”. She was repetitive in her question and got, “no” for an answer. She was still frenzied. She checked what flat no the boy who was just 3 years older to him, lived in. Husband and her, both went and spoke to the other boy’s parents, the boy stood with his head down, however there was no remorse! He said sorry just for the sake of saying. The mother too seemed unnerved!!

Mamma and Daddy, kept asking him all throughout the day if they touched him inaptly. He was sure they didn’t. What if they had? What if something had gone wrong with him. All sort of thoughts waded through her mind all day.

They even reminded their almost five-year-old about the “good touch, bad touch” lesson they were taught in school. They retold everything that was said, the little boy wasn’t so nervy, he after all was innocent. He was lost in his world of play and fun. He could recognize the president of america from a picture but, obviously couldn’t remember what was taught only once in school!!

Between her chores,between reading about a bollywood actor being blessed with a baby boy and Instagram putting new parental filters on their app, she felt, she was hit by a big truck. A truck that didn’t cause her bruises but the hit left a little emotional scar on her heart, mind and may be her soul.

She kept questioning herself time and again. Didn’t she teach him about the good and bad touch time and again? Why didn’t her little boy shout for her, from under the balcony, like he always does for everything! Why didn’t he run back home, he, after all does at least 5 trips up and down every day?

She wanted to scream and maybe whack the hell out of the other kids but then she thought, were they even made aware that what they thought as a silly prank or a funny game could have actually led to something serious.

Gadgets, were they to be blamed with, so much exposure to everything and with so little time left for families to interact. Don’t all schools have, “good touch & bad touch workshops” for children? Isn’t that the need of the hour? Don’t parents encourage their children to play games and discourage body shaming of any kind? Do parents boost their kid’s confidence when they are bullied or do they pat their backs when they bully someone.

Too many questions whirl pooled in her mind but she picked up the tiny piece of her heart that was shattered with the day’s incident and decided that she would protect him. That, daddy would protect him and even though what may seem like a small funny incidence to others, they would educate their child about it time and again and be there for him, forever!!

Please speak to your children about, body shaming, about bullying, about being bullied and about “good touch and bad touch”. Curiosity is a good thing but unawareness isn’t!!

A great video that I came across. Do have a look

Safe Touch