When BzzAgent got in touch and told us all about the NSPCC's #TalkPANTS children's safety campaign, I was intrigued. Four decades on, I still have a clear recollection of the 1970's and 1980's campaign of my own childhood, Charley Says, featuring a little boy and an incomprehensible cat who shared all sorts of important messages for children, including stranger danger, falling in water, playing with matches or not upsetting a hot teapot.
Modern parental concerns seem much more sinister, from paedophile rings and online grooming to child abductions and sexual abuse. The NSPCC have tackled the thorny issue of sexual abuse with an uplifting, appealing and incredibly catchy song, sung by The Pantosaurus.
When I went to get the embed code, Pierre heard the music, glanced across and was instantly drawn in, by the catchy tune, the colourful animation and the words "pants" and "private pants". Without me even asking, he came and snuggled up next to me and watched the whole thing, giggling repeatedly. I then heard him head off to his big sister's room with the i-pad to show her, and they've been singing extracts all morning !
The song and video are great fun, but also lead naturally on to a very important conversation. From P through to S, each letter in “PANTS” stands for an important, yet simple, message for kids:
Privates are private
Your underwear covers up your private parts and no one should ask to see or touch them. Sometimes a doctor, nurse or family members might have to. But they should always explain why, and ask you if it’s OK first.
Always remember your body belongs to you
Your body belongs to you. No one should ever make you do things that make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. If someone asks to see or tries to touch you underneath your underwear, say ‘NO’ — and tell someone you trust and like to speak to.
No means no
No means no and you always have the right to say ‘no’ — even to a family member or someone you love. You’re in control of your body and the most important thing is how YOU feel. If you want to say ‘No,’ it’s your choice.
Talk about secrets that upset you
There are good and bad secrets. Good secrets can be things like surprise parties or presents for other people. Bad secrets make you feel sad, worried or frightened. You should tell an adult you trust about a bad secret straight away.
Speak up, someone can help
Talk about stuff that makes you worried or upset. If you ever feel sad, anxious or frightened, you should talk to an adult you trust. This doesn’t have to be a family member. It can also be a teacher or a friend’s parent — or even Childline.
To help get the message across even more and continue the conversation after you've watched the video, the NSPCC have also produced a fun kids' pack, which includes a double-sided fold-out sheet of Pantosaurus' Roarsome Activities and Puzzles (colouring, maze, wordsearch, drawing, etc), The Talk Pants Guide For Parents, a sheet of Pants stickers and a Pantosaurus cutout which can be used as a bookmark.
You can order the pack at nspcc.org.uk/pantshop for a suggested £5 donation. There is also a free Playtime with Pantosaurus app available on App Store or Google Play.
Disclosure : As BzzAgents, we received a free activity pack in order to spread the word and give our honest opinion.
a great catchy tune and a brilliant video. I can see why it appealed to Pierre, and a very important message
ReplyDeleteGreat that it engages children
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