K - 1st GRADE | SYNOPSIS:
We first meet Chester, a cat with a marvelous tail. Because his tail is so wonderful, all his friends want to touch it. Chester uses his "Important" voice to tell them to leave his tail alone and, in the process, introduces the primary concepts of this program:
- My body belongs to me.
- I can decide who touches me.
- I can say "no" to touching I don't like.
We then see how Amy, Jacob, Lana, and Sarah handle real-life situations of unwanted touch with assertiveness. Amy uses her important voice to tell Gerald she doesn't like him to play with her braids. Jacob demonstrates his ability to recognize a potentially abusive situation with his babysitter, who tries to touch him inappropriately and wants him to keep a secret. He proves his ability to say “no.”
Lana's problem happens when a neighbor asks her to come into his house to "dry off" after playing in the sprinklers. The last story is about Sarah and her mother’s boyfriend, Phil. Sarah likes Phil, but one day, he touches her in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable. Sarah pushes his hand away and later tells her mom what happened.
All the situations show children being assertive, being able to say "no", leave the situation, tell someone about it. Chester reminds them (and the viewing audience) that what happened to them is not their fault.
Finally, vignettes on social media and texting safety, including a review vignette, are included as optional features of this updated program. Introduce them as appropriate for your student population. Most young students are likely too young for this information, but they are available should you deem them appropriate.
INTRODUCE THE VIDEOS:
“Today, we're going to watch a video about personal safety. It is about your right to protect your body and to decide who touches you. It starts with Chester, a cat with a wonderful tail, who decides who touches his tail. Chester says "no" to touching, which he doesn't like. He talks about touching that is good and touching that is uncomfortable. If you have had experiences like Chester, you may find it uncomfortable or embarrassing to talk about. You may want to laugh and whisper, but please don't. What happens in this video may have happened to someone you know, even someone in our class. It would hurt their feelings if it seemed like we thought it was a joke. The video has separate parts. After part one with Chester, we'll stop and talk about what he says.”
SHOW K-1 VIDEO: CHESTER CARTOON
Discussion questions and follow-up activities:
- Should Chester have to explain why he didn't like his tail pounced on, poked, or fondled? (No, "Your Body Belongs to You" is a basic right, not one that must be explained.)
- Wasn't Chester worried about what the Blafflewhap, Giggling Piffles, and Foozle would think? Wouldn't you worry about hurting someone's feelings? (Your feelings are important, too. It's okay to speak up for your feelings. Most people will understand.)
- When others mean no harm, they are usually glad to know when you don’t like something.