Are all men potentially child abusers? Really?
July 10th, 2007
Simon Castles had a great piece in the Sunday Age. He manages (where others have failed) to begin to express a concern about the impact our obsession with “seeking to protect our children from pedophiles” is having on men’s ability to relate and interect with children.
It reminds me of when I was doing childcare work and a young boy came up to me when I was doing a days casual work at a centre I am not usually at and asked me, “When are you going to work?”
When I told him I was working at the childcare centre for the day he was so rapt, he and many other boys spent the whole day following me around and hanging on every word I said.
More men in childcare…when that happens we will really know we are beginning to do the right thing by children. That is one key indicator of our success.
Thanks Simon - great piece.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I had wondered about that too. I think that when so many are affected by this awful thing in their families they no longer look at any man without wondering. I know because it’s affected people I love too and you just don’t look at men, any men, in the same way anymore. I hate that it does that but can understand why people feel that way. And yet I know some very loving caring men that I would never think like that about - it’s mainly those who I don’t know and trust.
October 30th, 2007 at 11:50 am
The daycare centre where my children go has one full time male carer and one casual. Both are fantastic, enthusiastic and really caring about the kids. There should be more of them.