"Endure the Abuse and Don't Pass It Up" by Karen Smith is a book that I actually had the pleasure of reading. I don't normally read books but this one definitely caught my eye. Smith has done an excellent job of preparing those who are suffering from abuse or have been through it to talk about it in such a way that those who are suffering can understand. Smith makes a point that many people don't want to talk about their past. The author understands this and she gives you the opportunity to read a positive message that will hopefully influence some of those who may be reading it.
The book starts out with an introduction about what causes abuse and how it can usually begin as a simple physical problem or as a behavioral issue. In either case, it can escalate to a more serious level and by the time it reaches its logical conclusion, it has claimed the lives of many people. Smith provides an excellent description of how these cases often unfold and also gives several examples of how to deal with this type of emotional abuse. She gives several recommendations for helping you cope with this type of psychological problem. I especially liked the way she included a couple of poems in the book. It gives the reader a lighter side of how people handle the situations that arise when they are suffering from emotional abuse.
After talking about some of the things you should avoid when dealing with this type of problem, the book then moves on to explaining just what abuse is and what are its main characteristics. Smith provides a good definition of this as well and she provides the reader with a pretty good idea as to why we can't ignore it. Smith does not shy away from talking about the fact that women and children are more likely to suffer from emotional abuse than men. She talks about the risks for you and your child as well as the consequences if you allow this to continue.
The second half of the book is where she discusses the consequences and the reasons why it is important that you do not pass on the abuse to your children. Smith uses the story of a young woman who did not pass on the emotional abuse to her children. She ended up leading them around in circles trying to avoid their father. When she finally went to the police and told them everything, she ended up being charged with involuntary manslaughter and was put behind bars.
I found the portions concerning the effects of abusive relationships and the reason why we can't ignore it to be very interesting. Smith makes a very convincing argument that you can't just let it happen and hope that it will somehow go away. You have to be proactive and do everything in your power to end the abuse. I also really liked the way she encourages us to talk about this topic and to teach our children how to ending the abuse.
This is an excellent book on how to endanger children from abusive relationships. It is not only written by a professional, but it is written by someone who experienced the abuse first hand. It will help any parent to learn how to deal with difficult situations that come up. In fact, if you are looking for a great resource for teaching your children how to survive domestic violence, this is it. You can not only use the information in this book to protect your children, but you can use it to start conversations with your neighbors and other parents. If you have not read "How to Endure the Abuse and Do Not Pass it on," try reading it and see how much you learn.