Category — Children

Within us all there is still a child, and given the chance, we often welcome the opportunity to restore that child’s childhood. Regardless if some of us remember it in pain, the glimmer of what was, or could have been, is desired to be recaptured if only for a moment.

We see it in the excitement of becoming a parent for the first time. When we hold our child, we imagine ourselves as we once were…fresh and innocent. But too often, too soon, the past rears its ugly head and we fall back on past hurts and painful memories. Without having the ability or chance to properly restore our own childhood, it is our children who suffer, and time moves on.

When we become grandparents, that new joy is renewed and a second chance is given to make it right, so we dote on our grandchildren. Many grandparents even willingly, but sometimes out of necessity, take on the task of parenting again. We may be looking for another opportunity to restore our childhood through playing with and attending to our grandchildren; as well as getting the chance to be involved again in a child’s life without all the mistakes and drama experienced with our own children. 

Teachers may have the same experiences of parents and grandparents. With their education as a large component of the process, teachers may enter the classroom with a renewed vision of their own childhood.  Many, however, enter their duties with the passive attitude of only plying their trade. They are the ones that do not seem to really care about their charges, or may feel too overwhelmed to try to do more than transfer their knowledge from themselves to their students in a lackluster way. They miss the chance to restore both their own childhood and those in their care. 

The care of children may be placed under the authority of other caregivers who are productive, but the influence of fully functioning, compassionate adults is what is most needed. For it is in the strength of authority wrapped in the softness of influence that children can thrive best successfully. 

In order to promote the child’s best interest, however; we must first restore the child in ourselves. That restoration can be accomplished by entering into our past to face the demons or boogiemen hiding in the dark recesses of our minds. Another way is to bring out to play the child within more often. 

With each opportunity of returning to the imagination and activities we once enjoyed as children, we can restore childhood in our own past, and see how important it is to give future adults a chance to build and retain those same memories and feelings. 

This call to restore childhood by the reduction in exposure of adult activities and language, while promoting play for current children, is one of the most important ways to ensure a wonderful future to our entire civilization and way of life. 

Parents, teachers and all caregivers, whether involved directly or indirectly in the concerns of children, should make it their responsibility to allow all children the chance to be children.  We need entertainers, the media, religious institutions, sports figures, movie and music producers, extended family, friends and neighbors–the entire village–to help by getting involved in the process it will take to help to restore to our children the childhood they deserve. 

To find out more:

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/319211/73274512?m=e5767d02