You're amazing, says Suzy

If your child was sexually abused, would he tell you? A new video series fronted by popular TV presenter Suzy Cato includes material which aims to give children the skills they need to say "no" and tell a trusted adult about abuse. Amazing Me is a series of five videos (Volume 1 pictured) which helps build confidence and self-esteem. It includes teaching the correct names of body parts, which has been shown to make it easier for children to tell someone not to touch their genitals and to describe what has happened if they are abused. But the videos are not only about preventing sexual abuse. They also reinforce simple life skills, like asking for help and talking about feelings rather than hitting. Designed for two to seven year old, the series follows the familiar format of the preschool programme You and Me, with songs, puppets, stories and activities.

Little Treasures
February/March 2000
Page 24

Enhancing self-esteem and teaching personal safety skills are key messages contained in a new series of videos for young children.

Amazing Me is a boxed set of five 20-minute videos designed and produced by Kids TV Ltd and the Early Children Development Unit and distributed in New Zealand by the Safer Streets Trust. Each focuses on teaching different life skills to children aged two to seven years.

"Enhancing children's self-esteem and building confidence are very important parts of the video," Safer Streets Trust commercial manager Russell Hart says.

Topics covered by the videos include feeling good about yourself, naming body parts and caring for your body, road safety, asking for help, emergencies, dealing with emotions and expressing feelings, including fear, sadness and anger, and looking at a range of issues within relationships, including physical and sexual abuse. "But it was also important to make the videos fun and children needed to be able to identify with the characters and situations," Russell says.

Accordingly, popular children's TV presenter Suzy Cato hosts the videos, which are presented in the same format as her show, You and Me, using songs, activities and stories to reinforce the messages.

"A lot of parents don't know how to address these issues with their children and, by getting children involved, the videos are able to communicate important messages," Russell says.

He says while the videos are targeted at children, parents or caregivers should also watch them, so they're able to work through any questions or issues. The boxed set comes with a workbook which includes the words of songs and stories used in the videos, together with further examples and guidelines to help parents and teachers answer children's questions.

The Amazing Me set of five videos and a workbook is available for $150.00 from the Safer Streets Trust, phone 0800 22 77 32, website www.saferstreets.org.nz.

New Zealand Woman's Weekly
31 January 2000
Page 64

Amazing Me is a New Zealand designed and produced resource for teachers, parents and caregivers. Early Childhood Development has produced Amazing Me in conjunction with Safer Streets Trust and Kids TV. It is a non-profit venture and it is AMAZING - 5 videos, a Teacher Work Book and a Parent Work Book, available at cost (5 videos and both resource books) for $150.00, with additional parent or teacher work books available for $18.00. Each of the 20-minute videos focuses on teaching 2 - 7 year olds different life skills aimed at enhancing their confidence and self esteem.

Who is it for? Why is it worth having in every NZ primary school? It is fronted by Suzy Cato, and it's lively, interesting and professional. It has been compiled by ECE experts and has been widely tested and evaluated by a NZ university. The story starters are excellent and the manuals exemplary for simplicity and ease of use. It leads Years 0, 1 and 2 naturally into the Keeping Ourselves Safe resources.

Feeling Good About Myself
Focuses on children's independence and giving things a go, including naming body parts and being able to care for their own bodies.

Keeping Safe
Everyday strategies for keeping safe including the Stop, Think and Act strategy. Covers road safety, asking for help, identifying safe people, emergencies, when and how to dial 111.

My Family
Deals with the positives and negatives of family life including anger in families.

Expressing Feelings
Dealing with emotions including fear, sadness and anger and introduces the "NO, PLEASE STOP!" game.

Relationships
Looks at a range of issues within relationships ranging from taking turns and sharing through to bullying and parents hitting children.

Amazing Me is a great resource which plugs a gap at the lower primary level. Contact Safer Streets Trust for details.

Good Teacher
Term Four 1999
Page 27

Have You Seen This Resource?

Teach your two to seven-year-old life skills encouraging their confidence and self-esteem. A unique set of five videos has been designed and produced by Kids TV and the Early Childhood Development Unit and Safer Promotions Ltd. They are being distributed by the Safer Streets Trust. The videos focus on giving children permission to ask questions, explore topics involving themselves, their families and their community, and to say "no". Suzy Cato uses a participatory format to engage children. Workbooks provide parents and teachers with the resources to support questions raised by children.

The five 20 minute videos include:

• Feeling good about myself
• Keeping safe
• My family
• Expressing feelings
• Relationships

The kit is available for $150 incl GST
Contact Safer Streets Trust (09) 476-6073
www.saferstreets.org.nz

R.E.A.L. Magazine
Issue 4 December 1999 / January 2000
Page 46