This page is an excerpt from:

Helping Children Thrive: Supporting Woman Abuse Survivors as Mothers

Positive Messages for Mothers

When working with women, who many lack confidence as mothers, find occasions to communicate some positive messages...

...about being a mother

• there are no perfect mothers: we all have strengths and weaknesses as parents

• mothers can change the lives of their children for the better

• single parents can be good parents too

• mothers can be good role models for boys

• learning to be a parent is a life-long process

• stopping exposure to violence was the best thing you could do for your children

• there are people to help if you need it

• you can make up for lost time: start today

• you can model and teach non-violent problem solving, attitudes, and behaviour

... about children who have lived with violence

• most "psychological problems" in children diminish once the violence stops

• research shows that most children who lived with violence in the past are functioning normally from a psychological point of view

• living with violence as a child is not a "life sentence" for a bad future

• children are resilient and can thrive

• not all children need professional treatment to overcome the effects of violence: there is a lot a mother can do to help her children

Find more information on how to help woman abuse survivors in these two resources from 2008.

Helping an Abused Woman: 101 Things to Know, Say & Do

Helping Abused Women in Shelters: 101 Things to Know, Say & Do