The Welfare Of Every Child Is Everyone’s Business

I recently read an article about a woman who was murdered by her own nephew. She showed no concerned for her nephew’s corrupt behavior when he stayed with her. All what the child needed at that time was love and care but he was denied of such while his cousins were flooded with great sense of love. He became attached to a group of company in school who quenched his quest to be loved with corrupt practices. Twelve years later, this nephew came home, masked with knife to rob. In an attempt to escape, he stabbed his aunt who died on the spot.

I had a friend who attributed his academic excellence and bright future to the concern showed by a neighbor who inspired and encouraged him when he lost interest in schooling. I have seen several men and women who attributed their success and inspiration not only to their parents but through the care and love showed by men and women they had no blood relations with. What about people who grew to be corrupt and irresponsible adults? Were they denied of love and care from people who were closed to them? An interaction with juveniles brought before the Family Tribunal Court in Asante Akim North District in 2015 indicated that they came from environment where people cared less about their welfare and never showed them love.

The question many people may ask is; why should I show concern for someone I have no blood relation with? The answer is simple, when it comes to the consequence of their corrupt behaviors, it is not only their blood relations who suffer, in fact, we all in one way or the other become affected negatively. Think of the crimes committed by armed robbers, corrupt leaders and politicians, arsons, thieves, drug addicts and dealers, rapists, irresponsible parents, etc. All these people could not have been lured into such acts if they grew up in societies where everyone was interested in their welfare when they were children. When it comes to the future, behavior, concern and attitude of every child, it should be our business, it should be our civic responsibilities to ensure that every child is protected, cared and inspired to grow to achieve greatest.

Frederick Douglass once said that It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. This clearly indicates that the best time to build and develop character is during childhood. This is supported by many research works on character formation. Children who are much cared, loved, encouraged, respected and supported grow to become responsible adults. Many research works attributed deviance in criminals as a product of treatment received when they were children which indicated an absence of care and love.

The greatest legacy we can leave behind for future generation is to build strong children who are flooded with much love and care. It is better that way than to leave behind mansions, gold and silver in the hands of children filled with hatred and greed. Our present predicaments and challenges as a country are perfect indications of lack of concerns and care for children. The spirit of belongingness in our societies has grown dimmed and weak. Though our children today are exposed to several interventions that smoothen their way to success and development but without care and love, they will lack the wisdom to choice between right and wrong.

How then do we show love and care to every child? Polly Berrien Berends showed the way by stating that it is when a child is helped to discover love and how to be loving. In all our interactions with our kids and other children, we should help them understand that they are loved and they should demonstrate love to others. This is all our children expects from us irrespective of where they find themselves. Any actions that will not help the child to discover he/she is loved and therefore can demonstrate such love to others must be avoided.

Till we create such attitude in the heart of every child, our society will continue to experience corruption and degeneration. Every child came through love and the best gift we can give them is to show them love and teach them how to be loving. It is this attitude that cure crimes against humanity, it is this attitude that heals all the woes in our societies, it is this attitude that help them make good decision, choose the right from the wrong and make them stronger in positive attitudes and passionately desire to build commitment toward family, work and country. This is also the tool that doesn’t need money, dignity and position to offer. Whether a parent or not, we need to learn to show love to every child in this nation and teach them how they can also show love. The little kindness you showed to the little child on the street, will forever change his/her perception and attitudes towards others.

We shouldn’t be happy to see our own children excelling while their colleagues are struggling and being dropped out of schools. We should know that these children will grow up to be recruited by corrupt and greedy people to execute their evil ambition which might result in the flow of blood and crimes. We should remember a life well invested, shaped and built for number of years can easily be destroyed by just a second through criminal act. The best protection and security for our children and generation to come is for all of us to engage in showing care and concern for the welfare of every child in this country.

Ted Nugent says that, “There are hundreds of millions of gun owners in this country, and not one of them will have an accident today. The only misuse of guns comes in environments where there are drugs, alcohol, bad parents, and undisciplined children.” No child was born with a heart of weakness in his/her body, it is the environment that corrupt the behavior of children and this can be stopped when we all show concern in the behavior of children.

As the World celebrates Child labor Day, we need to come together as a country and support the fight against all crimes against children to help every child grow to show love to family, work and country. If we have something good to offer this country, then we need to show concern for every child’s welfare in this country by showing them love and teaching them how to be loving.

Jeffery Amo - Asare