It’s OK to Say No

It’s OK to Say No

Molly Potter

Sarah Jennings

Bloomsbury, 2025

32pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781801995382

As teachers we attend many meetings and courses, and much of what we hear goes in one ear and out the other, or should have been an email.  But imagine if like me, you have been in this business for over 50 years, and one of those meetings not only changed your professional knowledge and practice but over 35 years on remains in your memory. 

In 1989,  as mandatory reporting laws  became some of the first introduced after the ACT was granted self-government, we were required to attend a number of sessions about them and, at the first, we were presented with the appalling statistics relating to child abuse including that based on these, there had to be kids within our school, indeed our classes, who were suffering and school had to be both their sanctuary and their saviour.  For many, eyes were opened as we learned the facts and figures and what we could and must do about any instances we became aware of.  In many ways it was a turning point for the teaching profession as suddenly our role legally embraced the pastoral care of our students as well as their academic development.  Programs like Protective Behaviours were introduced (who remembers Try Again, Little Red Riding Hood?)  and we tried to negotiate both teaching the children how to protect themselves and the minefield that was the legal obligations we now had, particularly as children now had both a pathway and a voice so they felt it was safe and worthwhile to disclose.

Sadly, all these years on and despite the greater awareness, the increased severity of penalties, other government legislation at both state and federal level, and even a specific strand in the Australian Curriculum, recent events show that our little ones are still just as much at risk. 

And while organisations like A Mighty Girl have produced booklists that focus on abuse and violence , only a handful are for primary-aged students  and even fewer for preschool.  The Kids’ Bookshop has also created a more recent list, which specifically focuses on consent and bodily autonomy for younger readers., and a category search of this blog for “Respectful Relationships” will also yield suggestions. 

So this book helps fill the gap in what is available to our young readers, sadly having to teach them something they shouldn’t really have to learn.  Explicitly dealing with consent and using a Q & A format, it uses child-friendly explanations and colourful illustrations for parents and teachers to begin the difficult conversations that we shouldn’t need to have but, nevertheless, do. From personal space to sharing, and from privacy to asking for help, it explains why learning to respect yourself and others is so important. Featuring extra notes for grown-ups on tackling these sensitive topics with little ones, it also teaches them that they need to respect when others say no to them. 

A peek inside…

Ugly, sad and necessary though it may be that we have to teach our littlies this message which will eventually build into the No Means No campaign is a vital one so to have such a sensitive but appealing text to add to the armoury is very welcome.