Can you remember being a little kid all alone with a big, secret problem?
Then you know how 7-year-old Sophie felt when school started last September.
Sophie had a big problem at home. She knew she felt sad, scared, and alone, but she didn’t have words for what was happening – until Kidpower came to her class.
Suddenly, Sophie had words – “I have a SAFETY PROBLEM!” And, even better, she had skills. With Kidpower, she practiced how to find adults you trust – and how to get help from them.
Even though she was nervous and worried, Sophie used the courage she already had – plus her new Kidpower skills.
“I can tell the principal!” she thought – but it was drop-off time, with so many kids and cars. The principal was too busy keeping everyone safe.
“I can tell the secretary!” she thought – but there were so many things happening in the office. The secretary was too busy.
“I can tell the cafeteria people!” she thought – but they were so busy making sure everyone got enough to eat.
“I can tell my teacher!” Sophie thought. The teacher had also practiced Kidpower, and when Sophie said, “It’s about SAFETY. I need HELP!” – the teacher knew it was important. She got the counselor – and the counselor helped!
The counselor told us, “Thanks to Kidpower, Sophie knew what to do – and her family fixed the safety problem. Kidpower skills protected Sophie from the emergency that could have happened – but didn’t.”
Your one-time or monthly #GivingTuesday donation will go right to work helping kids like Sophie – and all gifts will be matched by our Leadership Circle through Giving Tuesday on November 29.
Give now – and know that you are stopping emergencies before they happen!
Published: November 28, 2022 | Last Updated: November 28, 2022
Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director
Kidpower Founder and Executive Irene van der Zande is a master at teaching safety through stories and practices and at inspiring others to do the same. Her child protection and personal safety expertise has been featured by USA Today, CNN, Today Moms, the LA Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Publications include: cartoon-illustrated Kidpower Safety Comics and Kidpower Teaching Books curriculum; Bullying: What Adults Need to Know and Do to Keep Kids Safe; the Relationship Safety Skills Handbook for Teens and Adults; Earliest Teachable Moment: Personal Safety for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers; The Kidpower Book for Caring Adults: Personal Safety, Self-Protection, Confidence, and Advocacy for Young People, and the Amazon Best Seller Doing Right by Our Kids: Protecting Child Safety at All Levels.