How to Fight Violence Against Children?
There's a campaign going on at Facebook - "Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood... Join the fight against child abuse....."
Most of my friends and friendlies have participated and I'm amazed by its success - my facebook has become so cute and colorful. Everyone seems little children with innocent minds.
I would like to contribute my idea.
Many of us are much aware of the physical abuse or the active type of abuse. Children who have been ignored or neglected are considered abused too (passive abuse). For me this emotional/intellectual assault is equally harmful to children. In fact, it is more rampant in ordinary homes. There's no wound to heal, there's no words to say. Parents would say "I didn't do anything to that child". That's the point - being quiet or having no (good) words to say to our children is a missed learning opportunity for them. Many children grow up without practical intelligence or "common sense". Their views in life are not normal, their behaviors are awkward, life for them has no value.
Our own house is like a kids gym. It is small & yet it's an extraordinary playground. There are climbing bars on the doorways, ropes on the ceiling, punching bags, trampoline and home-made convertible swing. Our TV has a timer and it's faced on a wall without a sofa - so my kids will not enjoy watching too long. They've got a second-hand gameboy (from their cousins) which they're only allowed to play every Sunday for few hours.Their computer time is limited and has schedules too. Cartoons on the TV and CDs are supervised. Power Rangers and Tom and Jerry were stopped - but sometimes a short clip is ok..ssshh. don't tell their mother.
Well, I like our life as it is. Everyone is happy & healthy. My wife and I are enjoying our full time together with our kids. Our house is an exciting place to be. We pray together, laugh a lot, fart and burp.... Our kids have learned to cook & bake.... Reading stories has become part of their bedtime routines. All of us are now members of the city library.... I like the fact that even though my kids are still small & don't know much yet in life they also teach us so many valuable lessons.
My illustration above shows how media (television) can poison children's mind. If we don't act or say something now, they soon will.
Photo credit: MmeEmil (Canada)
