Let children be children

From birth, every child has rights. These rights are things like: a right to play, health, education, family, protection from harm and non-discrimination, and most importantly a right to be a child. Surely, we have been told that we shouldn’t play because it makes us lazy. We’ve been told to cook and wash utensils because that’s all we’re good for as children, right?

Sadly, many children are forced to be wives, soldiers, and workers at a very tender age. This traumatizes them because they don’t experience the joy of simply being a child. Communities need to learn how to be child-friendly. We must all understand that childhood is precious and plays a big role in the adults we will become.

Let’s stop telling 14-year-old girls that when they start menstruating, they must get married. That is not acceptable. Let’s stop teaching 13-year-old boys how to hold guns and shoot for war. As a child soldier is growing up, he will not be able to play hide and seek like other kids. All he will know is hiding in bushes and playing with guns, not toys.

We ask everyone to let children be children, not wives, soldiers, and workers… just children. Normalize watching a child play with toys without telling them to wash utensils instead. Ensure children have time to play and be curious. Also, ensure young girls can freely walk around without being sexualized.

Time flies by fast and before we know it, we will have reached the age of adulthood.