MAINA: Children are our future, protect them

“Children are like wet cement whatever falls on them makes an impression,” said child psychologist Haim Ginott.

It breaks my heart to see video clips of young children being physically abused by their guardians, especially caregivers. I wonder what drives the househelps to be so cruel to these little ones, who are so innocent.

Some children may be willful, but that does not make them any less of a child. They just need to be corrected in the right way, not by violent punishments that put them in harm’s way. 

According to international studies done by World Health Organization, three in four children aged two to four years regularly face physical or even psychological violence at the hands of their guardians.

Most of these boys and girls will not say what is happening to them until someone notices some changes in them. For instance, they may be withdrawn, gloomy and sad.

Other times the child starts performing poorly in school. Then when the parents and teachers start being keen they will notice the hidden scars.

Sometimes it is already too late for the boy or girl. The caregivers will be punished by the law but the child will remain with the scars.

It goes without saying, parents should stop leaving their little ones with caregivers. Some househelps are so cruel that they go to the extent of sexually abusing children.

If a parent must leave their child in the hands of someone else, it should be with individuals they have confidence in and it should only be for a few hours.

Parents should also bond with their children so that when the little ones are facing troubles, they can confide in them. Abused children remain silent because their parents are strangers and they do not know who to trust.

Parents should also be nice to these caregivers. You cannot just be mean to someone you will leave your children with for more than 12 hours. It just beats logic.

Sometimes the caregiver punishes the child to hurt the parent. Still, this does not justify their ill actions towards the child. Parents, let your children be your priority and not your job.

Think about it, you will put more time and effort into work, make lots of money, yet those you are hustling for are already damaged and you cannot reverse some things.

Children make up one-third of our population and are our future. Let us protect them.

Communication and journalism student at Maasai Mara University