Stop Being the Only Parent Doing This Work (Here's How)

The Moment This Mom Realized Her Child Was the Only One

Sarah was hosting what seemed like a perfect playdate. Six kids, ages 4-7, running around the backyard, squealing with laughter. She was chatting with the other moms when she heard her 5-year-old's voice cut through the chaos:

"Hey, you need to ask before you hug someone!"

She looked over to see her daughter standing between two kids—one who had just grabbed the other in what looked like an uncomfortable bear hug from behind.

The grabbed child looked relieved. The hugger looked confused. And all the other parents went silent.

That's when it hit her like a punch to the gut: Her child was the only one there who had been taught about consent and body boundaries.

In that moment, she realized something heartbreaking. Despite all her efforts to educate her own child, she was essentially sending her into a world where she was the only one who understood these critical safety concepts. She was going to be surrounded by children who had never learned that their body belonged to them, that they could say no to unwanted touch, or that secrets aren't safe.

She felt so incredibly alone.

 You're Not Alone in This Uphill Battle

If you've ever felt like you're the only parent in your community doing this work, you're not imagining it. You're not being dramatic. And you're definitely not alone.

Every week, I hear from parents who share similar stories:

"I'm the only mom in our friend group talking about body safety..." "My child's teacher looked at me like I had three heads when I mentioned consent..." "I feel like I'm fighting this battle all by myself..."

The isolation is real. And it's exhausting.

But what if I told you there's a way to change this? What if instead of being the only family doing this crucial work, you could help create an entire community of educated families?

If you've ever felt like you're the only parent in your community doing this work, you're not imagining it. You're not being dramatic. And you're definitely not alone.

Every week, I hear from parents who share similar stories:

"I'm the only mom in our friend group talking about body safety..." "My child's teacher looked at me like I had three heads when I mentioned consent..." "I feel like I'm fighting this battle all by myself..."

The isolation is real. And it's exhausting.

But what if I told you there's a way to change this? What if instead of being the only family doing this crucial work, you could help create an entire community of educated families?

The Tool That Ends the Isolation

I've created something that can transform your experience from lonely advocate to community catalyst: a ready-to-use letter template that any parent can take to their library to request a comprehensive Body Safety Kit collection.

This isn't just about getting books on shelves. This is about creating a ripple effect that reaches every family in your community—including those who don't even know they need these resources yet.

Why Books Are the Ultimate Community Builders

Here's what research tells us about the power of book-based body safety education:

• Children who participate in book-based safety programs demonstrate significantly greater knowledge and self-protection skills than those who don't
• Interactive books with discussion questions create the strongest retention of safety concepts
• When families repeatedly read and discuss these books together, children internalize the lessons for weeks and months
• The simple act of a library endorsing these resources legitimizes the conversations for hesitant parents

But here's the beautiful truth we're living in right now: we have an incredible library of options that didn't exist a decade ago. When I started this work, parents had maybe 2-3 body safety books to choose from. Today, we have an explosion of expertly-crafted, evidence-based books created by body safety educators who truly understand child development.

From Isolation to Community Impact

When your library creates a Body Safety Kit, everything has the potential to change:

🌱 You're no longer the only one - other families discover these resources organically

🌱 The burden isn't all on you - the library's professional endorsement opens conversations

🌱 Kids start speaking the same language - more children learn consent and boundaries

🌱 Playdates can become safer - when multiple families are educated, everyone benefits

🌱 Teachers notice the difference - schools see children who better understand their rights (and can build on that)

What's Inside This Community-Changing Tool

The Body Safety Kit letter includes everything a library needs:

✨ 25+ carefully curated children's books (ages 3-12) - from board books about consent to chapter books about online safety 

✨ Evidence-based parent education resources - because adults need support too

✨ Compelling statistics and research - so librarians understand the urgent need

✨ Implementation suggestions - making it easy for libraries to promote the collection

Most of the books have been kid-tested (by my 3 kids and parent feedback from their kids) and chosen for their research-backed approach.

These aren't random selections—they're tools created by educators who understand how children learn safety concepts.

Perfect Timing for Summer Reading Programs

With summer reading launching, libraries are actively seeking engaging collections that serve families.

Imagine body safety books featured in summer displays, included in reading challenges, and part of family programming.

This is your chance to plant seeds that will grow into community-wide awareness.

You Don't Have to Craft the Perfect Argument

I've created two versions of this letter—one for U.S. families and one for Canadian families (families in other countries can easily adapt using local statistics).

You don't need to become an expert or explain complex research. You just need to care enough to hand a librarian a professional, well-researched request.

And if your library loves the idea but lacks funding? This opens doors to discuss local grants or community fundraising. When the solution is specific and the need is clear, resources often appear.

The Playground You're Creating

Every time you take action like this, you're changing the landscape for every child in your community. You're creating playgrounds where:

• Kids understand consent and respect boundaries
• Children feel empowered to speak up when something feels wrong
• Parents have natural conversation starters about safety
• The whole community shares responsibility for protecting children

You're ending your isolation by creating the community you wish existed.

Your Next Step Out of Loneliness

Copy and paste the template of the Body Safety Kit letter here: American Version & Canadian Version and visit your library this week.

It takes 10 minutes to submit and could transform your entire community's approach to child safety.

Because you shouldn't have to do this work alone. And with this simple tool, you won't have to.

So share this with other parents you know, so they can also bring it to their local library!

What would it feel like to walk into any gathering knowing that most families there share your commitment to keeping children safe?

Let's create that world together.