Where Did We Go Wrong?

In this present generation, a lot of things are happening rapidly daily, to the extent that one begins to wonder where life is headed. In the past three weeks alone, we have recorded a series of cases involving some students engaging in different forms of atrocities. Imagine a secondary school student who was discovered to have terminated a pregnancy four times—at such a tender age.

Just last week, a parent came to the school to inform the management that her daughter had terminated four pregnancies. The issue came to light when the girl complained of severe stomach pain. Initially, the mother assumed it was menstrual pain, but the pain became so intense that they had to rush her to the hospital. It was there that it was discovered that she had used drugs to terminate a pregnancy. Further investigation revealed that it was not her first time.
When the mother arrived at the school, she was crying bitterly. While the school management consoled her, they also faulted her for negligence. How can a child undergo four abortions under your roof without your knowledge? When I reflect on situations like this, I cannot help but question the kind of parents we have nowadays. One begins to wonder whether such behaviour is normal or abnormal.

I understand that no matter how hard parents try to be present for their children, mentally, emotionally, and physically, some children may still go astray and misbehave. However, this situation is far too extreme. Yet, when such issues are addressed, some parents respond by saying they were only focused on providing food for their children, as if that is the only meaningful responsibility they have.

Sadly, many parents are failing in their responsibilities. Some blame the harsh economic realities, while others say they are single-handedly raising their children because the father is nowhere to be found. In some cases, these parents remarry and leave their children at the mercy of total strangers.

I often tell people, especially parents, that they should endeavour to give birth to only the number of children they believe they can singlehandedly raise. Ironically, parents without tangible sources of livelihood often have more children, while those who are stable and responsible tend to have fewer.

Many of the problems we face in society today can be traced back to the family unit. The level of parental care some children receive is so poor that many of them roam helter-skelter just to survive. It is heartbreaking to see teenagers fending for themselves. If they were orphans, that would be understandable, but when asked, many of them reveal that their parents have remarried, both their mothers and fathers.
This is the reality of the society we find ourselves in today. It is deeply saddening to witness these heinous acts being perpetrated daily.

I will end this write-up with this assertion: a child we do not train will sell the house we build.