Every Child Belongs To Us: Let's Raise Them Together

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It was Thomas Hobbes who said that the mind of every child at birth is a “tabula rasa” , that is like a blank slate. This postulating goes to say that children at birth know nothing. Their life and what therefrom is a matter of what they learn from others and how they are raised.

We may continue to argue who has the greatest influence on children, parents or society?
One fact remains that everyone of us is born into a community of people. And no one can live a secluded life away from people,without any form of interaction.
The theories of human psychology and behavior are attempts in explaining the influence or forces that shape us into the people we are. Sigmund Freud is a leading authority in this field. According to his psychoanalysis, the human behavior is influenced by unconscious memories, conscious thoughts, and both conscious and unconscious urges which he describes as the id, ego, and superego.
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I believe strongly that every child is born with their own unique being, irrespective of who birth them or how they were raised. This is because I have witnessed children who were raised in a well respected and responsible home grow up to become rascals and children who were raised in a troublesome home turn out to become calm and responsible.

The Bible says, in the book of Proverbs 22 vs 6 to train children in the way they should go, such that even when they grow old they will not depart from it. But there are children who depart from the training they received from childhood. I know external influence such as peers or society may be blamed but what if the child out of self-awareness chooses to follow his own path?

Sometimes, these things are slippery to explain. But we must truly understand what training a child means before we begin to debate who is responsible for a child’s outcome in life.
The act of raising or training a child is called parenting. In a typical African society it doesn't matter who gave birth to the child, it is a community responsibility to take care of that child.
I remember when I was growing up, as a little boy. My Dad was always away at his jobs and my Mom was not even present with us. We(I and my siblings) were looked after by the entire neighborhood. I cannot tell how many people have disciplined me on account of misbehavior. My Dad will return from work to news of what we did and he will ask if we were disciplined. So child upbringing was more like a community responsibility. Children were seen as community treasures not to be messed with. But today it isn't so.

Parents nowadays,personalize their children, mostly I must say, to a fault. Some parents would not even stand anyone disciplining their children on their behalf. Modern times have changed many things, even parenting styles.
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One thing that should be understood is that we are all part of a bigger society. Our seemingly inconsequential actions can cause great strain on the order, peace and progress of society. Same goes for parenting too. Understanding that parenting is a job whose goal is greater than personal sentiments or emotion but for the sustenance of social order and progress, then we will commit more to child training and support. Every child deserves good upbringing irrespective of whether they have biological parents or not.

All social institutions are good in human development but are also capable of corrupting them. Hence, the need for regulation. Family, school, religion, clubs or any social association can impact the life of people, children inclusive, either negatively or positively depending on those who are involved in the process.

Children are a blessing, to both their parents, immediate communities and the world at large. But their innocence comes with great responsibility and moral demands on those who are charged with guarding and guiding them.

You owe every child you come across a duty to treat them the way you would have love to be treated when you were a child.
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Thanks for reading.

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