Welcome to April -- when the weather warms, birds chirp, flowers bloom … and blue pinwheels start popping up?
That's right, the blue pinwheels come out in April because they are the official symbol of the national Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, which dovetails with Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Blue ribbons have long been recognized as a sobering national symbol memorializing children who have been affected by abuse or neglect. Blue pinwheels, on the other hand, are fun and whimsical, and they remind us of the simple truth that all children deserve happy, healthy and carefree childhoods.
The use of pinwheels started in 2008, and in the years since more than three million blue pinwheels have provided opportunities for awareness and public engagement. Of particular importance, pinwheel gardens can be a starting point from which communities can explore ways to promote and encourage healthy development, to create environments in which children can thrive, and to educate the public in an effort to prevent child abuse before it occurs.
This year, the Army's official advice for being an advocate to prevent child abuse is Step Up, Speak Up, Reach Out. More specifically, step up to take responsibility for the well-being of children in your care: Keep kids safe and supervised. Engage and pay attention to prevent accidents.
If you witness something, speak up: If you see abuse or neglect, call it in. We all have a role to play in protecting children.
And if you need help, reach out: It's okay to ask for support. Recognize when you're struggling and get help.
In our community, we are lucky to have a strong support network for parents. One-time special events, such as last month's USO's baby shower with Heidi Murkoff, author of "What to Expect When You're Expecting," or the many fun programs MWR, FAP, and CYS have planned for Month of the Military Child and Child Abuse Prevention Month, are great opportunities for family engagement. Perhaps even more helpful however, are the ongoing services that are around on a regular basis.
These programs help new parents adjust, socialize and learn about their new role as parents, and they support veteran parents with challenges, questions and concerns as their children grow and new challenges arise.
In particular, new parents can drop in to the Baby Café at ACS for a safe, fun place to bring the little one and meet other new parents. Or they may attend the weekly Romp-N-Stomp Playgroup where kids under three years of age get a new place to play with lots of fun, stimulating things to do, and parents receive support from other parents and professional staff.
The library has story time, and craft lovers can sign up for classes at the Arts and Crafts Center. Additionally, all parents can take advantage of the Family Advocacy Program's parenting experts and get advice and guidance on whatever parenting challenge or question they may have. Taking advantage of, and participating in, these kinds of services encourages healthy development and happy families, both of which are key to preventing child abuse.
So take a moment this month to appreciate a child's wonder of the simple pleasures in life. Enjoy the delight and whimsy of the wind blowing through the slats of a pinwheel. Let that experience remind you of how important the children are in your life, and make a commitment to support them, to encourage them, to love them, and to be the best you can be for them and their future.
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