Take the wheel, Mum and Dad
I often find myself reverting to issues surrounding children. There is something in me that gets totally thrown out of balance when I see children at the short end. It is remarkable how we find more people taking up the causes of animals than of children and it is more than evident who is more important.
Among the many concerns I have, the effects that children face when abandoned by their parents takes precedence. Abandonment takes many forms and in my years as an educator, I still don’t think that I’ve witnessed all of them since every once in a while, a parent just manages to stun me. Of course, parents don’t come with readymade manuals and parenting is not easy but the crux of the matter is that the children have no say in choosing their parents either. Besides, their lack of independence and maturity just makes it so much harder. Adults at least are independent to do what they think is best for them. Well, getting back to abandonment, I’ve realised that even loving parents with good intentions can abandon a child. Take this case, for instance. Parents of five children, affluent enough, have sent their children overseas for an education. The elder four have made it, according to the parents, and so the youngest, who was with them for a while, has been shipped off as well to live and study with the elder ones. This fourteen-fifteen year old boy, the youngest, has taken to bad company since his sister with whom he lives now has her own life, of course, and probably has enough on her plate already. Parents have found out that this bright lad has been a truant for half the school year and is acquainted with bad company and involved with all the other ills that follow abandoned children. Who is responsible?
His parents are irate, nonetheless, because they believe that this is the better opportunity that they’ve given their son and he should be grateful. In the father’s mind, nothing short of a good thrashing would sort out the issue, completely, no doubt! They both believe that the brat doesn’t know what he’s got and he needs to take ownership. One is inclined to concur with them.
On the other hand, what must this child be going through? He was abandoned! Nobody asked him what he thought. His parents are happy living where they are or else they would have moved along with him, too. All this is some of what he feels. Playing up is just a way of getting their attention and it works!
Among the many concerns I have, the effects that children face when abandoned by their parents takes precedence. Abandonment takes many forms and in my years as an educator, I still don’t think that I’ve witnessed all of them since every once in a while, a parent just manages to stun me. Of course, parents don’t come with readymade manuals and parenting is not easy but the crux of the matter is that the children have no say in choosing their parents either. Besides, their lack of independence and maturity just makes it so much harder. Adults at least are independent to do what they think is best for them. Well, getting back to abandonment, I’ve realised that even loving parents with good intentions can abandon a child. Take this case, for instance. Parents of five children, affluent enough, have sent their children overseas for an education. The elder four have made it, according to the parents, and so the youngest, who was with them for a while, has been shipped off as well to live and study with the elder ones. This fourteen-fifteen year old boy, the youngest, has taken to bad company since his sister with whom he lives now has her own life, of course, and probably has enough on her plate already. Parents have found out that this bright lad has been a truant for half the school year and is acquainted with bad company and involved with all the other ills that follow abandoned children. Who is responsible?
His parents are irate, nonetheless, because they believe that this is the better opportunity that they’ve given their son and he should be grateful. In the father’s mind, nothing short of a good thrashing would sort out the issue, completely, no doubt! They both believe that the brat doesn’t know what he’s got and he needs to take ownership. One is inclined to concur with them.
On the other hand, what must this child be going through? He was abandoned! Nobody asked him what he thought. His parents are happy living where they are or else they would have moved along with him, too. All this is some of what he feels. Playing up is just a way of getting their attention and it works!
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