From the Diary of a Preschooler’s Mother

The moment he caught the last flight to the soothing valley of deep sleep, I cautiously tried to take TV remote from the clinched fist of my little one.

Instead of getting back to household chores after turning off TV, I preferred to stay in bed for a little while. My eyes closed unintentionally and several frames from my childhood started moving in front of my eyes.

Somewhere down the memory lane, I could hear the voice of a hawker saying “taazay amrood masalay walay” (fresh guava with assorted spices).

While casually comforting my child, I contemplated that I am one of those lucky generations who have enjoyed playing in streets, flying kites, climbing trees, sharing fruits with neighbors and equally enjoying fighting on petty matters like losing the toss or throwing ball in the courtyard of some angry uncle.

When I tried to think more about my childhood days, I found that there wasn’t any gender segregation amongst us. We were all kids and that was our sole identity. We used to have combined classes till primary.

After 5^th grade, out mothers used to teach us about physical changes.  This used to be considered as cut-off limit considered by our mothers to separate or rather gender segregate our friends. However, it never meant that we were not allowed to have friends from opposite gender. We rather used to consider boys as our elder brothers.

While unconsciously playing with my chain, I recalled that in my golden childhood, my brothers (not by blood relation) used to snatch my toys, so that I may cry and they may laugh at me. Then we all used to complain about the mischievous and naughty brothers to our mothers and days used to end on a happy notes while giggling around.

At that time, parents had no concept of junk food we used to have purely organic and farm grown food. At the evening, my grandparents or grandparents of any other child used to sit in the street and used to sort of keep an eye on children playing or roaming in the area just in case kids may start fighting.

I still remember we hardly needed TV for the so-called companionship as we had real friends in abudance. We were only allowed to watch cartoons in the designated children hour and that used to be considered enough.

While comparing my childhood with the childhood of my boy, I want to ponder that wasn’t that the time a phase of relief for all the parents? I am quite convinced that due to simpler life style and lesser complexities, it was very convenient to raise children that even the grandparents would take care of all the children in the area.

I still remember no child was ever misplaced at all in those golden days because everyone knew who the parents of any children were. Playing physical games in the parks and streets was always encouraged by saying that healthy mind can flourish only in a healthy body.

Besides, this also taught us sportsmen spirit and was considered as a tool to teach children the basic principles and ethics Now, when I look around myself, I see that my child is most of the time staying at home and is addicted to screen, be it mobile or TV.

Being a mother, after seeing news of child abuse and kidnapping every day, it’s next to impossible for me to let my child play in street the way I used to play in childhood. Therefore, our routine these days mainly consist of making him eat forcefully (specially the healthy food) and keeping him in in front of my eyes all the time in the name of discipline. I, at times, feel that as I am confining my child to indoors, he, as a reaction, is only accepting us as his friends, not by heart but by force.

Even when I go with him and take him out to parks, my obsession for his safety make him play only selective games because other peers in the park are no more trustworthy as per me.

This all is impeding his physical development and I believe that this isn’t only my dilemma. Many other mothers would also be thinking like this. Talking about child sexual abuse only, I, at times, wonder that is it leading our new generation towards crimes against humanity? Unfortunately, the answer always comes in affirmation.

Have we ever thought that this environmental stress is pushing our generation towards crimes as every action has a reaction, equivalent but opposite in direction? Who actually is responsible for such a contaminated society? How come a healthy environment of my childhood days has been replaced with crimes and bad actions within a few years?

It’s so hard to digest that our children are not safe in an Islamic Republic of Pakistan. They are vulnerable in our own and beloved country. Whenever I read and watch stories of little angels being raped by beasts in the society, my heart just bleeds.

I really want to figure out who is responsible for these heinous act? Does the responsibility lie on state? Is this the media that shall be held responsible or our educational system shall be held, culprit?

Be it state, media, educational system or anything else, ultimately, the responsibility of protecting our children lies on us. It is we who have created such a toxic environment for our children.

Through this platform of The News Today-TNT, I would like to draw the attention of our politicians and lawmakers on the matter of serious concern for taking it up seriously by publically hanging the culprits to save our future generations. I would request PM Imran Khan as well to please make his minsters work out on an effective strategy for the protection and security of our children.

Also Read: Making learning a lifelong pursuit in a child

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