Keeping Our Kids Safe—Body, Heart, and Soul: A Mom’s Fierce Love Guide

By a Work-from-Home Mom Who’s Done Being Naive

Okay, deep breath. Normally, I write about how my toddler just finger-painted the cat or why "Mom’s coffee" is a sacred entity. But today? Today, I’m laying my heart bare. Because between the news headlines and my own scars—both seen and unseen—I’m terrified.

I chose the school right next to my house so I could be the one to drop off and pick up my daughter. No buses, no strangers, no unsupervised moments. Because the world isn’t safe.

Because when I was six, a 12th-grade boy in the playground thought my body was his to touch. I didn’t understand, but my soul did—I burned with fever for days, haunted by nightmares I couldn’t explain.

And then, as if that wasn’t enough, life handed me a decade-long toxic relationship with a man who dangled love like a carrot, only to marry someone else while still whispering promises to me 13 days before his wedding.

So yeah. I’m angry. I’m protective. And I’ll be damned if my daughter grows up feeling unsafe in her own skin or heart.

How Do We Arm Our Kids—Inside and Out?

1. Teach Them Their Body is Theirs (And Their Heart is Too)

• No secrets about touches. If an adult (or another kid!) says, “Don’t tell Mom,” that’s the first thing they should tell me.

• Affection is a choice. No forced hugs, even for Grandma. If they don’t want to be touched, they don’t have to be.

• Name the parts, name the feelings. If something feels wrong, they should know how to say it—without shame.

2. Emotional Armor: So She Doesn’t Chase Breadcrumbs of Love

I stayed in a toxic relationship because I mistook crumbs for feasts. How do I make sure my daughter doesn’t do the same?

• Love shouldn’t hurt. If someone’s hot and cold, making her doubt herself, that’s not love—that’s manipulation.

• She is already whole. I’ll pour so much love into her that she won’t need validation from some guy who can’t even text back properly.

• Teach her to walk away. No drama, no begging. If respect isn’t given, she leaves. Period.

3. Watch for the "Nice" Predators

The scariest monsters don’t lurk in alleys—they smile at birthday parties.

• Grooming starts small. A gift here, a secret there. Teach her: "If an adult makes you feel special in a way that feels ‘off,’ tell me."

• Not all red flags wave. Sometimes they’re just a guy saying, "You’re not like other girls," while texting three others.

4. Society’s Role? Wake. The Hell. Up.

We can’t just cross our fingers and hope our kids survive. We need:✅ Body safety programs in schools – Not just "good touch/bad touch," but "Here’s how to scream, run, and tell."✅ Zero tolerance for emotional predators – The guy who leads girls on "for fun"? Call him out.✅ Better support for survivors – Because too many of us are still whispering our stories in shame.

Final Thought: I Won’t Let the World Break Her Like It Broke Me

I can’t lock my daughter in a tower (though trust me, I’ve Googled how). But I can make her too strong to shatter—too loved to settle, too aware to be tricked.

And to every mom, every survivor, every woman who’s ever been made to feel small: We’re rewriting the story. Starting now.

Your turn—how do you teach your kids to be safe AND strong? Share your warrior-mom tips below. 💪❤️

(P.S. If you need help—whether it’s about abuse, toxic relationships, or just needing to vent—RAINN and local therapy resources are there. You’re not alone.)