Child Participation and Recreation

There are two themes of Children's rights that i hold very dearly to my heart. They are Rights of Children to Participation and Recreation. These two themes relay the underpinning fact that Children are adorable human beings and they come to this world innocently to explore. The innocence of these children must not be exploited rather, as adults we are to explore the goodness inherent in that innocence. There is a lot of learning God has designed into the innocence that comes with children; the simple trust they exhibit in life and in their environment, the sense of adventure that comes with bubbles of laughter, the peacefulness f contentment at little accomplishments and just a sense of relying on others to love and to care for them. In many ways, such innocent children with such attributes are few and far between. Our environment is not as trust worthy as it should be. As a people, we have lost values that cherish the innocence of children. They have become objects, burdensome 'things' that should just sit still and give us some quiet!

What important life lessons we miss when we do not allow children to participate and play. We must allow kids to participate in all facets of life, according to their varying capacities. At home, at school, in the community, they should be part of decision making. So much color and value is added when we see things from the perspective of a child. Adults have become too busy to listen to the children around us and soon they grow up fast on us and then we complain they dont know how to do it right. Many children in the developing Nations do not have access to toys. Their minds become retarded due to lack of access to life lessons that come from playing.

I look around me every day; i muse and wonder how many happy lights have been snuffed off because we have taken away the innocence of the children. There is a lot to be done and we can do something to help children in our immediate environment. Make life better for the kids and the family are positively imparted and then a Nation and then a whole Generation of Peoples!