b"According to the decision you will make? And that is why a moral obligation to do the right thing is not the right thing at all.Childrens It would be remiss not to mention the nannies who stay in jobs for the sake of the children. The saviorcomplex of staying to protect the children or staying to keep the kids afloat while they live through a badWelfare situation presents problems all its own. In doing so, nannies may inadvertently enable unhealthy situations.They may empower parents to keep doing what they are doing rather than addressing change. Nannies mayInformation find themselves thinking, I can make a report or I can stay and protect the children. But when they switchtheir thinking, as Mah advised, to I can make a report and I can protect the children, what they must doGateway, next becomes clear. Approximately Protecting children47 States, the Children are an abundant natural resource. Like with air, water, and land, we do not protect our naturalresources until they need protection or when they become scarce or threatened. We might not value thingsDistrict of until a crisis arises, which turns it into a political issue. If there are enough atrocities and sensational failurestoprotectchildren,thenpublicopinioncanreachacriticalmassandtheprotectionofchildrencanColumbia, become a compelling political issue. Police brutality is not new, for example, reminds Mah. But afterdecades and centuries of abusive police actions, recent events have created a public consciousness andAmerican Samoa, outrage, so there is now a critical mass of movement towards righting the wrongs.Guam, the Movements that reach critical mass flow from personal views which become moral values, which becomeNorthern society views and cultural values, which become professional views and ethical values, which becomepolitical views that lead to law, explains Mah. In the 1950s and 1960s, when mandated reporting became aMariana Islands, political issue, doctors and therapists were initially resistant, saying We too don't want to that. It will harmtherapy. But then the social and cultural change made it a compelling political issue, and legislatorsPuerto Rico, and created mandated reporter laws.the Virgin Islands As an industry, nannies find themselves at a crossroads. The industry is at a place in time where professionalviews and ethical values are being established. We must get ahead of this critical mass of social anddesignate cultural concern about protecting children before it becomes a political and legal issue. If nannies fail toget on the wave, politicians will be making laws and rules on an issue the industry could have taken care ofprofessions on its own. And nannies could be viewed by politicians, the media, and the public as being resistant towhose members reporting child abuse and neglect.are mandated by If nannies love children, they must protect children. They can protect children by advocating for children andby reporting suspected abuse and neglect. So often, it takes several reports and a robust paper trail forlaw to report action to be taken on suspected abuse and neglect. Mah shared a story of how he once made the firstreport on a situation that should have been reported many times before. Because of all of the professionalschild the child encountered prior who chose not to report, it cost that child years of abuse. Nannies must beaware of the cost of their actions. And their inactions and the power of patterns in reporting. maltreatment,and only one What to report?While there is no flow chart that can depict every scenario that would point you to whether somethinglocation, should be reportable or not, Mah offers some general guidelines for nannies. Northern If a child is hit in the head, there is a real potential for brain injury and neurological damage. Blows close tothe trunk of the body can create internal organ damage. If a belt or stick or other object is used, it becomesMariana Islands, a weapon and becomes a slippery slope to abuse. When a belt or stick is used in frustration or anger, itsdesigned to be a tool of efficiency to maximize damage and pain. Weapons are used to optimize damage.a U.S. A closed fist creates more trauma than an open hand. A switch gives the punishing adult no sensorycommonwealth in feedback and how much pain (and thus, how much harm or injury) is being inflicted. If humiliation is used,emotional abuse comes into play. People lose control when anger and frustration are involved, says Mah,the Pacific Ocean, and that is when psychological abuse is likely to occur.specifically Mah recommends the following: A good rule of thumb is that if you are suspicious and thinking about whatto do, you should have already done what you are thinking about doing. If you must step back to analyze thenames nannies as situationorifyouknowsomethingiswrong,somethingiswrong.Dontmakeexcuses.Eventhoughauthorities might be resistant or even discourage you from making a reportclaiming that it is not badrequired enoughmaking a report can eventually reveal a pattern of abusive behavior and save a child from harm.reporters.NannyMag.com| 29"