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| Innocence |
I was privileged to attend an interview between a journalist
and a pediatrician about child abuse.
At the time of interview, two children ages 4 and 5 had drowned in a
river because grandma was busy caring for a newborn. The media notes the sad and traumatized mother; the
apologetic and equally traumatized grandmother and a pool of condolences and
wishes from the neighbors with kind words about the deceased and will always be
remembered children.
The most disturbing part of these often ‘accidents’ is that
the coverage talks about remorse and sadness of the loss. Nobody, however, talks about the
culprit – the adult/caregiver responsible for the casualty. The issue that should be highlighted is
that the death of children under the ‘care’ of a trusted adult who forgot to
check the children’s whereabouts amount to abuse!
Flash News! The
fatal physical injury or negligent treatment of a child by any adult individual
entrusted with the care and welfare of the child (or children) by parent or
guardian is considered as CHILD ABUSE.
It’s irrelevant how many times a parent/guardian advises their child
(children) about the dangers that lurks, a child is a child – they will always forget. Adults are expected to know better and
should always remember that children cannot raise themselves!
Neglect cases have seen children drowning in bathtubs,
suffocate, poisoned, slip and hit their heads in toilets, and many more other
fatal incidents. These fatal child
abuse or neglect is a result from intentional or grossly negligent failure to
adequately supervise a child. Some
children left unattended may fall, cut themselves, get trapped in the cupboard,
burn themselves, get electrocuted, consume something toxic and fall seriously
ill. These unseen or unsupervised
serious accidents and fatal blows can resurface as numerous health problems in
the future.
So, you can imagine my surprise when I was told to remind my
children not to play with sharp objects in my time of absence. I always prep
talk my kids each time I leave them alone with other adults. I speak of the
dangers of playing with sharp, hot and heavy items all the time. I take pride in being a responsible parent who would do
everything in my power to educate my children to safeguard them from impending danger. But, I can't always be there and hence I constantly leave them with other adults I was told to trust.
When we leave our children in the care of adults we trust,
at the agreement of the adult themselves…what else can an absent parent do but trust and
place good faith in the promise contracted. It is unfortunate that the current
world is economically unkind, and usually both parents are forced to struggle to make
ends meet. I would love to stay
home and be caring for my own children, but I can’t. Wouldn’t it be nice if
other adults understand that working parents need assistance? Especially those who's already got it made...
The pediatrician interviewed said, once it took an entire
village to raise one child. Today,
even family members turn the other cheek, but behave holier than thou.
After all, (they would say), her children are not my problem…I’ve already raised mine. How painful is the knowledge that your child’s life is worth
so little to people you trust? Adults they trust! Too bad these trusted adults never
learned in their entire educated adult life that negligence is CHILD
ABUSE, no matter how holy they deem their souls and religious practices to be.
How poor are their souls in the eyes of their maker… My
advise? Pray harder because the
prayers of those discriminated and abused are LOUDER!!! Ameen.
