Child, Childish or Childlike - Happy Children’s Day

  •   Thu, Nov 14 2024
  •   Dr Preethi Keerthi D'Souza

November 14, 2024

Laughs that are genuine, love for crayons, wishing to be with parents and loved ones, wanting to be –one- with nature with curious thoughts and a sense to explore, are just a handful but vital features of any child. Children are special. They are pure and blessed. Smiles are automatically generated in children’s company and they are the prime purpose of our living. Psalm 127:3 narrates "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

A range of days are dedicated to people, professions, events and even nature. However a day that offers bliss and joy is the Children’s Day.Only in India since 1964 Children’s Day is celebrated on 14th November on the birthday anniversary of the first prime minister of India - Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, who was known to have been fond of children and was tenderly called Chacha Nehru.

Children’s Day has a lot to offer. In this part of the region, particularly in schools, children await for programs, performed by their beloved teachers. Sweets are distributed and going in a color dress to school adds joyfulness.

Children’s Day is also a day to ponder on the necessities to be provided to every child. A child is special but also helpless. They are vulnerable. In society, we find most often that, utmost care is given to a child and sometimes on the contrary, the worst torture is experienced by them because they cannot voice their feelings and there are no listeners.

Hence, let us understand the rights of a child. The fundamental rights of a child in India are the right to survival, education, protection, participation, development, health, well being, identity, expression, non discrimination and also a safe environment.

With rights come duties too. So are there any duties of the child? Yes, a child shall have a duty and responsibility to work for the cohesion of the family, respect his/her parents, guardians, supervisors and elders at all times and assist them in case of need and also serve the community and Nation by placing his/her physical and intellectual abilities at its service in accordance with his/her age and abilities.

Parents too have the duty of providing a home and fulfill the basic needs of every child. They need to protect the Childs welfare and also discipline the child. Parents have a legal obligation to maintain a child until they are able to provide for themselves. Hence until an individual is under the age of 18, he/she is considered as a Child.

Nevertheless, the International children’s day is celebrated on 1st June since 1925 in many countries and the World Children’s Day is celebrated on 20th November since 1959 to commemorate the declaration of the Rights of the child by the UN general Assembly. 

With all the familiarity gained, another query put forth is that - Is the Children’s Day pertinent for adults?

The answer to the question is interestingly found in the Holy Bible: Mathew 18:1-3 -At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”.

According to the scriptures, the promise of a better place is to every individual who remains a child at heart – wholesome and blessed. Hence we need to be childlike whatever the age be and keep alive the innate qualities of a child. When living life, adults too wait for joyous laughs, seek for fun and wish to be stress free. But the tragedy is- adults forget to be childlike and turn childish when dealing with the advanced stages of life and this leads to a lot of clutter.

There is a difference in being a child, living childlike and acting childish. When the difference is clear in our thinking and we imbibe it in practice, Children’s Day becomes relevant to every human being. Hence on this Children’s Day, let us take the message to absorb the qualities of children and be responsible to provide a secure environment to every child.      

Happy Children’s Day.

 

 

 
Dr Preethi Keerthi D'Souza
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Comment on this article

  • HENRY MISQUITH, INDIA

    Thu, Nov 14 2024

    "Happy Children's Day to all the children. Our childhood passed well and thank God we didn't have gadgets or mobile phones back then, yet we still enjoyed our childhood with friends. I remember those days, the days of school and college, they were so beautiful, children are sincere at heart. But I'm sad that those days will never come back."

  • Shanthi Dmello, Mangalore

    Thu, Nov 14 2024

    Very beautifully put ma'am. Kids are indeed most vulnerable in this cruel world. And very few people take care of their interests these days. All atrocities against children are kept under the carpet as most of the time their own parents are their own worst enemies. Ive seen so many situations where parents are their own children's worst enemies. Only God has to rescue them Ma'am.


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