Happy Children's Day.....are the children happy?

 I finished my exams that was back to back from Monday to Thursday, two papers in a day. I went to the hostel to change into something less official  before embarking on doing some other things.

Then, my roommate showed me a video clip that was viral on the internet about a popular actor who engaged in pedophilic activities with a young girl when she was seven and another episode when she was fourteen years of age. 

My heart sank.

I went out of the room that day with a heavy heart. 

I can also recall an event when my colleagues came back from work and were sharing a pathetic story of how a young girl was raped by one of the guys that lived with herself and her parents. She was brought to the hospital facility for treatment and general body check-up.

Things are happening around now that I ask myself ' why are we failing God and our generation?' 

The following day, I was in a conversation with my roommates. One thing I got to discover is that many people have suffered one sexual assault or the other when they were little and not many had the courage to talk about those things until when they became grown-ups. And the ones that spoke up were hushed to silence because of the fear of stigmatization from the society and the envision that nothing might be done about the crime anyway to bring the criminal to book and serve justice. The innocence of these ones are being snatched away from them at a very tender age, and the sweet experience of their childhood polluted.

It's so sad.

My question is this: will things continue this way?

Paedophilia is an act of sexual assault against children. And it's becoming alarming that the act is being committed at a high rate these days.

Parents should be very close to their children/wards. Infact, they must be their best friends that they can open up to at anytime and about anything.

Children are not just responsibilities that we provide money, food, shelter and clothings for. They are God's heritage released to us. They are meant to be nutured. 

"Don't you see that children are God's gift? the fruit of the womb His generous legacy?

" Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. 

Oh how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! 

Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep" Psalm 127:3-5 (MSG)

 If you're a parent and you are reading this post, I would like to ask you some questions and that you would answer rhetorically with all sincerity:

-When last did you play games with them (indoor or outdoor)?

- When last did you do their homework with them?

- When last did you ask about how their day went in school?

-When last did you take them out, maybe to an amusement park, a museum, a beach, a library etc?

-How well do you know their teachers?

-When last did you study the bible together?

-When last did you pray together?

Talk to them about anything, in such a way that their cognitive reasoning can carry. 

Development of the body, adaptation to these developments and sex education should be taught children in such a way that they would understand and be able to relate to. 

Don't let an outsider be the first person to take your children on sex education! They may get exposed to some false information and negative sexual experiences that could have been avoided.

All these things help to build strong bonds and relationships between children and their parents, such that if there is anything going wrong, it can be quickly corrected and rectified.

I have discovered that many children who were sexually assaulted when they were young and never spoke up about it was that at the point when it happened, they did not really understand the whole thing. They may not even know that it is something not to be done to them, but will actually feel that they don't like the experience.

No wonder there are many psychologically disturbed adults in the society.

Yes, the government has failed us, the society has failed us....but are we also going to fail ourselves?

It's so funny how even with everything happening around, some parents still trust their wards with a relative or family friend. The world is so corrupted now that you don't even know who is who anymore. 

Now, I am not saying we should be paranoid, but intentional about the care of our children.

Take responsibility for your children!

If you are not yet a parent.....aspiring to be one in the nearest future, be determined that you will not fail them.... that you will not fail God by negligence or naivety. As an aunt or uncle, take responsibility for your little cousins; ask them questions, give them right answers to their questions.

If you happen to be in any arm of the government and you are reading this post, this is a call to you to ensure that the perpetrators of these wicked, inhumane and illicit acts are brought to book. When there is proper punishment for those criminals, it will serve as deterrent for others.

If you are a writer, let your pen speak with vigour.

If you are a singer, sing it out loud to the world.

If you are a clergy, address this issue on the platform God has given you.

If you are a social media influencer, do something that will count in the lives of children.

We are all in this together.

#stoppaedophilia!

#stopnegligienceandnaivety

#protectthechild'sfuture

Till we meet in the next post,

I bring much love to you from Abba's heart.

Lotus 🌷