ABUSE FROM “GOOD” PARENTS

Many good Christian parents may not realize they are abusing their children. Although their homes are not marked by physical violence, emotional abuse is taking its toll.

Following are 10 ways children experience emotional abuse- even in the best homes:

YELLING AT A CHILD

How easy is it for parents to be verbally impatient with their child. Father shouts and mother screams, thinking that the very force of their voice will mold the child into improvement. Of course this is not true. Most parents do not realize the emotional beating their child feels when she hears constant hollering.

COMPARING A CHILD UNFAVORABLY WITH OTHERS

Your child may not be perfect, but praising other children is not going to make her better. A child who makes a mistake only feels more inferior when her mother tells her that her sibling or a friend never does such things. Not only does this tear down a child’s image, but it also hurts her relationship with those who she is told are better than she is.

THROWING BIBLE VERSES AT A CHILD

Some parents feel that correcting their child with Bible verses will make her more conscious of her poor behavior. Actually, the bombardment of verses may only make her feel frustrated and guilty. This may create in her a dislike for the bible because it does nothing but tell her how bad she is. Children desperately need God’s word in their hearts and minds, but they should not be getting it when the parent is feeling hostile.

RIDICULING, MINIMIZING AND CRITICIZING A CHILD

Some parents may ridicule without even realizing it. Although some constructive criticism is helpful, a steady diet of negative words can only make a child feel inadequate and discouraged.

STEPS TO PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT

There are many things in this world that will work to bring you down. Personal empowerment is extremely important, and discovering that you are a strong individual is the first step towards living a happier life. There are many factors that come into play, and over time you too can rebuild your self esteem and lead an empowered life.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

SET GOALS AND MEET THEM

Setting goals that you can realistically accomplish is a great way to get your life on track and build self esteem. Don't set goals that you know you can't accomplish. Start small and work up to bigger goals over time.

Write down your top five goals, and then write down the steps that you will need to take in order to accomplish those goals. By the way, you should think big. You can have the life that you want to have; don't try to confine your dreams and ambitions merely because you are afraid of failure. Don’t give up on that goal simply because it will take several steps to achieve it. Map out your steps, and go for it.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

Along with goal setting, never stop your own personal path towards greatness. It is never too late to learn a new skill or discover something amazing about the world. Get out there and start learning something you've always wanted to, whether it is a foreign language or how to play a musical instrument.

TAKE ACTION

Make a difference! Volunteer your time to a cause you are passionate about and see that you can make a difference. The important thing here is to know that you are important and can make a significant impact in others lives!

Empower yourself to get more out of life! Don't let those who are out there to hurt others take advantage of you. These simple steps can help anyone find their purpose and get more out of life!

PUT AN END TO NEGATIVE INNER DIALOGUE

Are you your own worst enemy? Do you tell yourself that you can't achieve your goals and attain your dreams? Do you have a hard time believing others when they complimentary things about you? If you allow your negative self-talk to take control of your entire existence, you will be giving away your power to something that only exists within the confines of your self-abusing mind. You have control over your thoughts. You do. When self-defeating negativity enters your stream of consciousness, you can make a choice to turn the switch and think of something else. This can be a hard skill to learn if you have been fostering your negativity for years, but everyone has the innate ability to tap into the power of positive thinking. You need to rebuild your self-worth from the ground up so that you can start enjoying life and getting the most out of each day. It is helpful when you are first starting to develop your positive thinking skills to use verbalization and visualization.

When you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself, say "stop!" out loud, and verbalize the positive version of the negative thought you were about to have.

LET ME START BY INTRODUCING CLEAN TEENS INTERNATIONAL

Clean Teens International is a nonprofit organization established with the vision to inspire, empower and educate girls and young women across the globe with healthy behaviors, life-skills and tools that will aid in their development so they can bloom to their full potential.

Our mission is to foster and support teen girls through our signature branded empowerment conferences, educational forums, awareness workshops and on-line resources.

Statistics show us that our girls and young women are in crisis and at risk. Negative influences in society, inefficiencies within the public educational system, lack of parental guidance in some homes, teen pregnancy, media imagery and sexual exposure are many of the forces that we are eager to combat. We believe that these influences can be quite devastating and impede the chances of many beautiful and vibrant girls and young women to blossom to their full potential.

All that we are is a result of what we have thought!

Our mission is simple and very clear – we are working to make differences that count! 
We have developed programs that provide mentorship, improve literacy, 
raise social awareness and education in regards to health care, sexuality, education, 
etiquette and empowerment....