PARENTS BEWARE by Oluyomi Oyeleke

I believe parents have been saddled with the responsibility of taking care of their children, though the harsh economic conditions of the country may prompt them to do otherwise or give an excuse to shift their responsibilities to so-called guardians who may be relatives, close acquaintances, friends or even strangers. The truth remains that it is rare to find someone who would care for your child the way you do.
Practices such as abuse, neglect, malnutrition and all forms of in-human treatment are experienced by these children who are left at the mercies of these wards.

More difficult to understand is the abuse(s) that takes place right under the noses of the parents. These classes of parents have their children under their roofs, yet they are either too busy or for whatever reason, fail to monitor closely or spend sufficient time talking with/to their children and learn about the activities that go on in their absence. A close example is repeated reported cases of rape. Perpetrators of this heinous crime are “loosely” allowed to have a degree of control over the child, thereby giving the person in question an upper hand though it shouldn’t be an excuse for any form of violation or abuse.

Parents should not only provide food, clothing and shelter for their children but also to provide their child with necessary information to know what is wrong and what is right.

Though we can’t change the past, we can try to change the future. Let’s stop the abuse.