Protecting our future: Vance family advocacy program recognizes Vance family advocacy program recognizes

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Savannah
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Becoming a parent, for most people, means a young one to protect, love and nurture.
What some parents don't realize is, it also means more responsibility and patience is needed.
The Month of the Military Child and Child Abuse Prevention Month in April aims to recognize these important people in our lives and help assist parents during the more difficult times of parenthood.
The Department of Defense characterizes abuse as physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. Physical abuse is the form most visible and treated, in the hopes it will also abate other forms. Parents can get help in stopping or preventing child abuse through the life skills support center family advocacy program on Vance.
"Every parent gets stressed some time in his or her life, whether it is from a child's behavior or a situation the child is reacting to and unable to cope with," said Mitzi Wood, 71st Medical Group family advocacy intervention specialist. "It is usually very easy and quick to punish the child, but that doesn't teach anything. Family advocacy tries to teach parents the difference in punishment and discipline. Punishment hurts, discipline teaches."
Recently, Mrs. Wood showed parents the difference during positive discipline classes at the life skills support center. Each class addressed ways parents can teach their children at various age levels.
"For example, at age 3 to 5, children want to help their parents," Mrs. Wood said. "Performing simple, age-appropriate tasks builds their self-esteem and makes them feel accomplished and part of the family."
Katherine Oliver is attending all the positive discipline classes to prepare for developing her 4-week-old daughter.
"They have been very good and very informative," she said. "Mrs. Wood covered most of the situations I think would come up with my daughter, and she gave me a way to handle the situations; she didn't just say, 'Don't hit.'"
Outside support, patience, understanding and planning are also things parents need.
"The military is unique in that it is easy to form relationships," Ms. Wood said. "Build bonds for babysitting and playdates. You may see it as a break for yourself, but children need these breaks too."
Military children also have to cope with regular deployments or moves and may not have developed the skills to react to that stress.
"Sometimes in the rush to deploy or move, parents forget their children's feelings," Mrs. Wood said. "Acknowledge their stress and help them stay positive by including them in planning, such as asking what they need or want for their room. And remember, moving includes trips, which should take longer for families with children. Be sure to plan rest stops."
While parents are responsible for their own children, everyone in a community, parent or not, is responsible for the well-being of every child. In the DoD, referral is mandatory for reasonable suspicion of violence.
"If you see a child who needs help, you must react," Mrs. Wood said. To report reasonable suspicion, call anyone in family advocacy at 7419 or the Department of Human Services directly at 237-0995. After hours, call security forces through the command post at 7384.
A final positive discipline class for ages 3 to 5 takes place from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the life skills support center, Bldg. 248. To register for the class or for more information on preventing child abuse, call Mrs. Wood at 7419.