People often think "oh not in my family" until the secrets are finally unveiled. My heart has broken each time someone shared a horror especially involving someone in their family. There's a demonic spirit attached to grown people preying on babies, and the enemy seeks to play on the innocence of children. That can have a lasting lifelong affect on babies even when the trauma happens before memories solidify. Many predators are crafty and find vulnerable moments and create situations not necessarily preventable. Everything isn't the parents' fault, but parents do have a responsibility to build a trusted, safe, and strong village even if small. Most of all they have the duty to protect.
To truly protect, you have to watch. This is about what's in your control. Praying for your kids, giving them to the Lord, watching them, knowing their whereabouts, learning their interests, getting to truly know them, and understanding their mannerisms especially when around other children and adults, regardless of familial relationship. Have you wondered "why doesn't my baby like uncle, aunt, or cousin so-n-so?" Why does the child act differently around this person? Is my child exhibiting sexualized behavior? There's likely a deeper reason.
Look under the surface and check on your children while they are with other kids. Some trauma doesn't come from malicious acts or creepy grown ups, it stems from unguided curiosity of the mind of a child aka one of the enemy's favorite spots to play. See what kind of games your kids play. Beyond that check on their well-being.
The enemy wants to get your baby young before reaching understanding. The enemy wants to confound the mind and make danger enticing. Even for those who are not Christian and don't believe in waiting until marriage, I don't think I'm alone in stating that sex is not for children. I know, I know I'm not supposed to say that word, but the truth is kids will find out and unfortunately more folks than we even know have had sexual encounters before they knew what sex was and all that comes with it.
Many kids don't know, but exploration of the unknown can be quite dangerous. When does "playing house" go too far? What do they think the "Mommy" and "Daddy" do? When is close too close? We have to be prayerful and educational. There are so many hidden traps and outright danger lurking around to get our babies. This is not to induce panic but to encourage accountability. Watch over your kids and protect them. Let's have less stories of hidden nightmares. Let's truly know what the family is into because we may love our folks but all family doesn't need to be in the village if they aren't fit. Think on it. Pray on it. Get in the Word on it.
Children are great in the Kingdom of God, which is why God wants us to have childlike faith in our pursuit of Him. Let us be sure to guide our children's hungry minds to what will feed them not poison them. See the Scriptures below.
If no one has shown you today, I love you but God loves you better.
Be blessed.
-K.T. Braxton
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord , the fruit of the womb a reward."
Psalm 127:3 ESV
“'See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.'"
Matthew 18:10 ESV
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
1 Peter 5:8 ESV
"In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:1-4 ASV