“We’ve all been teenagers. That’s why it is up to us…”
Developing self-worth to avoid abuse begins in childhood. Let’s do our best to raise respectful, mentally strong kids and teens who understand what healthy relationships look like and how much they are worth!
With gratitude,
Cassie Mecklenburg
Executive Director
Wish List
You can help our residents and their children by donating items from our wish list. Download and print a shopping list visit the store or use our Amazon wish list and let them handle the delivery.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Check out the resources, events and information we have for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. It is up to us to help the youth in our community know their worth.
2021 Premier Event
Traditionally, this highly anticipated event takes place in February. In order to plan a safe event, we have decided to schedule the 2021 Premier Event in June. Watch your mailbox and inbox for more information coming soon!
I have two nephews who have brought sunshine into my life since the moment he was born. My sister and brother-in-law are kind enough to share them with me often, and over the years we’ve had movie nights, trips to get ice cream and too many other fun times to count.
They are now a pre-teen and teen. I’m super proud of the young men they are becoming. Yet, I know dating isn’t too far around the corner and when I think of them facing all the potential issues that come with dating today, my heart hurts a little. Especially when I hear stories like the one about a Brownsburg high school student whose girlfriend dictated who he could be friends with. Eventually, he had few friends left. We’ll be sharing his story in a blog later this month.
Like that young man, teenagers often don’t equate a boyfriend or girlfriend’s controlling behaviors as such. They think their significant other’s constant texts, attempts to keep them only to themselves, pressures to do more sexually than desired or the way they track their every move on social media actually means “they really love me” or it’s just what relationships must be like for everyone. Most teenagers think abuse happens only to adults. Besides, remember how fragile your own self-esteem was at their age?
We’ve all been teenagers. That’s why it’s up to us – parents, teachers, grandparents, coaches, aunts like me – to build up the sense of self-worth our teens feel and to empower them to set healthy boundaries to arm them against the damaging behaviors of others.
Throughout February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we’ll be sharing information and holding events around recognizing and preventing dating abuse among teens.
Meanwhile, Sheltering Wings offers resources every day to help you start a conversation with a teenager and determine if they might be in an unsafe relationship. We also offer a Healthy Relationship Quiz and other resources for teens so they can find answer to many of their questions. Check out ShelteringWings.org to access them all.
Developing self-worth to avoid abuse begins in childhood. Let’s do our best to raise respectful, mentally strong kids and teens who understand what healthy relationships look like and how much they are worth!
