The holidays are supposed to be about gift-giving and goodwill toward men. Or at least, that’s what the Christmas movies say. But it’s not always like that. For many families, the holidays are a season of increased stress and emotional turbulence. The added financial strain of Christmas shopping, and the miserable weather and seemingly endless string of colds and flu have a way of putting a damper on the season. And then there’s the family get-togethers, which can add a whole new layer of stress and frustration to the mix.

What does a holiday get-together have to do with child abuse?

Get-togethers mean gathering at other people’s homes, or hosting large groups of family members and loved ones in your own home. Either way, you’re busy, distracted, and out of your element. And your kids are probably off somewhere else in the house, hanging out with cousins or friends’ kids, and you may not know what they’re up to. Watching movies, you hope. Or playing Halo on their phones and looking at stupid memes about cats. Not being hurt by some creepy party-goer, or touched inappropriately by an older cousin… right?

How sure are you that your family members are all “safe”?

For people with small families, this question is usually pretty easy to answer. But for those of you whose holiday get-togethers include large groups of loved ones – family from out of state (and their friends), relatives that you rarely see, and even people whose partners change with regularity – that can be much harder to figure out. Is everyone at the party safe? Do you know all the people present, and are you certain that none of them are on the sex offender registry? Can you guarantee that none of them are suspected child molesters, or have a history of “questionable” interactions with minors? Probably not. After all, checking the sex offender registry is usually the last thing on anyone’s mind when they’re prepping for a Christmas party. 

So what happens if your kid gets abused at a holiday get-together?

That would be horrifying! As parents, we can’t imagine anything more terrible than someone taking advantage of a festive family party being used as an opportunity to harm a child. But it happens, and sometimes the parents get blamed. How is that possible, you wonder? How could anyone think you’re at fault for someone else hurting your child, when you weren’t even present, and had no idea it was happening? Well, for that reason exactly – you weren’t present and you had no idea what was happening. Which can easily be interpreted as you not protecting your children, and not keeping them safe. 

Being blamed for someone else harming your child is devastating!

Having someone abuse your child would be heartbreaking. But having the cops or a prosecutor blame you for it happening is like pouring salt into that wound! Of course, you would never want anything bad to happen to your kids – you love them! So if you’ve been accused of negligence because someone else hurt your kids during the holidays, call 866 766 5245 immediately and get help. Here at The Kronzek Firm we know what your parental rights are, and we will fight fiercely to help you protect them! We’re available 24/7, including holidays and weekends, so don’t hesitate to call if you need to defend your family.