THEY ARE THE FUTURE

       India did not achieve the targets of Millennium Development Goals but has successfully reduced the mortality rate of under-five by 62%, which in itself is a feat. I even happened to read in newspaper that the world reduced it by 53%, where as in India it has dropped from 126 deaths per 1000 in 1990 to 43 in 2015 leading to 62% reduction. Isn’t it great! Sound like we will be reaching it 100% in fore coming years. Hope very soon. Because though it is reduced it is still very high. The worst part and as well as a part of concern is that the reasons for major such deaths are pneumonia, diarrhoea, pre maturity, infections, etc. Matter of fact is that these reasons are wholly preventable if proper treatment and interventions are done.

Previously pre maturity cases were risky and survival was rare. But if you see the latest example of Mumbai born baby named sakshi was born in her 23 weeks of pregnancy. Even Doctors have claimed it as a miracle they also said that it used to be so risky to touch even a 26 week pre mature baby. Now this is possible just because improvement in technologies that it is possible to keep such children mechanically growing under medical observations. I was so overjoyed by reading it. We come across the technology changes and we try to update ourselves with them it can be telephone or vehicles or any other such thing. But such examples like the one of ‘sakshi’ proves that there is development in Medical sector as well.

          The only reason why such things are not prevented is that nothing is done intentionally but it happens due to negligence of issues and at the same time lack of knowledge about the poles that the Government implements which are not being utilized to the fullest. Even during pregnancy the parents should be made aware of the families that they can avail during and post-delivery.  And at any cause the infant should be brought to the medical care in case of any kind of illness with-out any negligence. Last but not the least more of awareness campaigns should be done without the motive of achieving any targets but with the motive of our own nation. Because today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders.

RIGHT TO PLAY

 

            Right to play. People may find it weird but yes it is one of the child rights. Wish we knew about it when we were child. Many would be able to recall their mothers shouting “padhai ka time ho gaya hair, ghar aa jao”, “enough of playing” etc. As it is rightly said lucky exceptions are always there. But that’s okay.

          When I used to hear mothers shouting those stuff, I would get nostalgic and just smile. I said I used to, it’s past because neither you see many playing outside nor you hear there mom’s shouting. It’s because today’s children whom we often refer as tomorrow’s leaders are tech savvy.

1.     They don’t play outside for various reasons.

2.     Even if they, they want to reach home as soon as possible to get along with their mobiles, laptops, etc. (video games are out dated)

These kind of games can be encouraged to an extent but if it is extended beyond then it would result in problems within the child, like, frequent headaches, vision problem, lack of physical fitness, prolonged playing results in restlessness and even deaths (check the case where a child died as he was continuously playing game).

I said they don’t play outside for various reasons. It can be considered in a better way they are not allowed to play outside. The various reasons are like

1.     Security reasons- as so many crimes are happening around, parents being frightened is obvious.

2.     Health concerns- seasonal diseases are another cause. It is a matter of concern.

3.     Insecurities- worry about their child getting involved any wrong practices or getting to wrong circle.

4.     Out of choice- they simply don’t want their child to go out and play. These people also try to influence others also.

 

          Eventually this is the responsibility of parents to keep their child active. Only games/ PeT hours are not enough. Children should be encouraged for outdoor games. Rather than imposing the choice of game they should be exposed to other games also. And hence there should also be a freedom of choice. There is nothing wrong if I say that once a child enters his/her teens they themselves pave way for their choice of sport. And many parents don’t encourage them. They should be appreciated, encouraged; encouraged to go ahead and pursue it to another level. You never know the same child might bring laurels to your family, state, it can be even country. I really like the sports quotas thing. It helps even the low achievers and sometimes it also helps Below Poverty Line to secure admissions. It should be encouraged at a larger level. I would suggest that every school should have compulsory extra-curricular of choosing a sport and the student should be allowed to change also. It is an age to play; play to the fullest.

RIGHT TO EDUCATION

       Educating plays a vital role in everybody life.  Be it a child or any old person. It helps in establishing our identity. But in our county though it is developing the literacy rate puts a big question mark on our Education System. Then there is discrimination and more. Anyways when we talk about education which obviously begins from early childhood, we get reminded on schools, uniforms, notebooks etc., when we have government schools for free of cost then why the educate rate is not satisfactory? Let’s look at the reasons- According to Government people are not utilising the Free School Facility. As Private Schools have sky high fee structure, people cannot escape by saying that they cannot afford as it is Zero Fee which includes Food, Uniforms, Books, Stationery etc. According to students who go to those schools and their parents have a different view. According to them there is no quality on the education there, the food provided is worst, children don’t feel like eating it, Teachers don’t show interest and a major problem is that lack of labour and infrastructure. I personally had an experience a Government school, it just didn’t give me a feel of a school. The lazy staff which is already less. You barely find Teachers with students. They are not concerned about what the child is doing. Families even say that though all such facilities are there we cannot relish them because of it’s quality.

          Now when I think about private schools there is a certain percentage where Economically Backward Class children can het admission that too with the least and sometimes fee.  Few are aware of it and many are not. Those who are aware and raised voice for their facility they were not given importance and led to their suppression. I guess they realised that these were just namesake facilities leaving the dream of Private Schools.

          I am nowhere against Government Schools and their facilities. I appreciate their steps. But as they provide such facilities they should also look into the reasons why they are not been utilized. I really appreciate the initiative by Maharashtra Navnirman Sean’s to issue Tablets to students and State Education Minister Vinod Tawde’s attempt to reduce the weight of bags and inclusion of marking criteria for children who play outside (Because many children end up playing games on mobiles, laptops etc.). These are all really small attempts. We need something big. What’s big? What’s next?

          When I say big, I get reminded of the judgement of the Allahabad High Court. As per the verdict the children of IAS, IPS and many such to make their children study at Government school. But instead of welcoming it the teacher who filed this appeal was removed from the job. So if Government really cares and thinks that Government schools are perfect then they should abide by the decision of the High Court and if it is challenged in The Supreme Court the decision should not change. And once The Supreme Court favours it then the image of Government Schools would certainly change. It is a hope and hope this comes true.

 

WHY NOBODY LISTENS TO THEM?

 

            We always have the habit of talking about ourselves. Our wishes our rights. We never talk speak about children’s rights. May be because we as elders think that we can make better decisions for them and hence we impose our thoughts on them. But at the same time we do speak about their rights once in a blue moon and that too it is limited to Right to Education and Health, Malnutrition, etc. What about the remaining? Oh yeah many of us are not even aware about the rights of children. I am no different even I was unaware until I happened to appear a seminar, wherein I got to know that there are around 50+ child rights. Yes its 50+, and we barely know few.

          Among so many rights one that is really important in today’s time is right to be heard. Now you just like that can’t say that we listen to our children. No we don’t unless it is for our benefit. For an instance a family goes out for buying something like a mobile or car or laptop, the parent’s automatically tend to ask their child “beta which has good features?” or “what do you think which we should buy?”. But if the same child suggests you something in any other decision you end up saying “you don’t know anything, you are just a child”. I guess many would have come across these kind of situations.

          Listening to children is really essential for parents. No, not everything. Like if a child wants to eat junk food, wants to play video game throughout the day, wants to party hard, doesn’t want to study- parents shouldn’t listen to these things. They should strike a perfect balance between being a friend and a parent. But make sure that don’t be too friendly so that you are taken for granted or be too strict that you become scary. Balancing is an art. Once you balance it you will find yourself well informed about what your child is all up to. S/he will open up to share things with you. Everybody expects their child to be perfect and the definition of perfect varies from person to person and hence for their personal perfectness they impose their own rules and regulations on their children. These restrictions lead to hesitation and fear of sharing which further causing children to hide things and hence leading to wrong decisions. Even many children who run out of their homes give either money or not being heard or treated properly as their reason for their runaway. And the ratio is very high. And every child who runs is not always lucky enough to be successful as shown in Bollywood movies the truth is far different.

          Every parents does this for their Childs good. But as the time is changing parents also need to change. Being a parents never build up an invisible wall around you so that it keeps your children away from reaching you. Like this happens many times, NEVER EVER make your child feel humiliated or feel low in a public sphere. If a child commits a mistake neither ignore nor blame instead make them realise by giving reasons why it’s a mistake. When I say all this I am nowhere against interventions. Interventions are really important but as a parent, they should know how to interfere and when to interfere. Deal with your child as per their comfort. For which you need to develop a bond. Once the bond is developed you will be in the loop of their activities. Exposure and Experimentations should be encouraged. Allow them to explore themselves. Spoon feeding should be avoided, make them self-dependent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATTER OF CONCERN

 

          Our country has succeeded in reducing the under five mortality by 62%, which is appreciable. It fell and brought joy that people are actually getting more aware but (the most dangerous word that which brings all joy to a question) doctors claim that the reason behind these deaths are preventable. And the reasons are nothing but hygiene, pneumonia, diarrhoea, malnutrition, etc.

          When we were lost in the world of Sheena Bora, an underweight girl of 2.1kg was born to Kanchan Devi, 20yrs who herself is malnourished with low haemoglobin and low weight as well, at Gorakhpur. Why I am giving the description is because there is a reason. Devi had already seen the death of her 2 children and this her 3^rd child. She was scared that she would lose the 3^rd child also.

          She had given birth to her previous two children by the traditional way. Yes the traditional way is still followed in many places even in cities where this self-proclaimed Dai-ma comes and does the delivery process. Now at this moment how do you expect hygiene, care and all. You don’t know the knife that she uses is proper, the needle, the string which is used to tie up the umbilical cord is bacteria free or not. Who checks them? No one! It is sceptical that this process could be a reason for those unnatural deaths of her children.

          Thanks to the government that they have torn health workers in every villages. And one similar health worker took weeks to convince Devi’s family to make her deliver at a hospital. The successful conniving resulted in the birth of the baby girl, though underweight, doctors claim that she is healthy.

          The step by government to encourage the families to deliver their child at a health centre or a hospital by paying them cash incentives is really nice effort to save children. As people are making use of such facilities, Government should not become negligible about the motive behind the formation of such facilities.

          Even to encourage the usage of folic acid to prevent the birth-disorders or birth-imbalances which are also major reasons causing deaths is very much thoughtful. For the same a national level awareness campaign ‘Go Folic’ is being launched in Mumbai.

          The point is that though we are at a progressing path, the discrimination part still remains a question. Because India still remaining a nation in the world where sexual inequality persists at a higher level which is quite visible even at the under five mortality rates are higher in girls when compared to boys.

          “Treating girls is simply not a priority in many families. Despite foeticide leading to skewed sex ratio where more boys are born then girls, data from UNICEF’s new born care units in India show only 40% of infants being brought in for treatment are girls” says Geeta Rao Gupta, Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF. And she also rightly said that as the treatment is free of cost, lack of money is not a reason. It is just that they do it (not getting treated their girls) with their own choice, ultimately showing discrimination.

          These certain are the matters of concern and should be the cone of mainstream not just of experts or a certain number of people. The main focus of the Government should be on education and health, at least for development of nation if not for the sake of the children who die for no reason when they should be living their life to the fullest.

LIVING TO THE FULLEST*

(*conditions applied)

 

Many times we come across some similar statements “don’t do this” “don’t go there alone” and especially those W’s and the H irritate every child to the core. There was a time when even I went through the same situation. Thank God my parents changed very early. Interference in a Childs life is important but frequency changes from child to child and their comfort. And this happens almost everywhere. Parents become insecure, obsessed, and start behaving insanely. Though they are absolutely right they should have knowledge about their Childs whereabouts. Certainly not like this where you lose your Childs confidence and where your child starts finding you irritating. This is when s/he starts hiding things from you leading to wrong decisions and regretful paths.

          I will take my personal example when I was in 7^th standard I went for a birthday party of a friend and returned around 10:30PM, the moment when I was questioned I felt I was questioned for a silliest thing (I dint have a mobile phone in 7th). The questionnaire broke out into an argument (my fault I should have answered them properly). And when we (children) decide that something is wrong is being done to us then we become so adamant that we want to win the argument either by hook or by crook, we don’t care who the opposite person is we are talking with. After that particular incident my parents, especially my mom built a comfort zone around me and that’s how I started discussing everything very friendly and frankly with her, from my deep fears to the moment I decided to get married. And so is the environment my brother gets.

          See the whole thing is in parent’s hand. One wrong step at a wrong time you cannot bring the situation back. Protecting your child from alien factors is perfectly okay, but one should open up with their children and talk to them about such factors. Those alien factors are nothing but the circle they join, make them aware of the crimes happening, who should be trusted (I think nobody should be trusted), bring them up by teaching humanity, helping tendency, etc. As the age when you can get your child under confidence varies, but 10-15 is a very tender age where a child can be moulded. If you ask your child to ignore certain thing s/he will do it in front of you but you never know what happens at you back. It is human tendency, we make sure we do which is being not to do. Similarly children are no exceptional.

Keeping a child free makes him/her more independent and they themselves tend to put up limitations for them. Yes there are certain mischief’s dealing with whom becomes a though cookie to crack. No doubt things are changing, parents are changing, mentality of society is changing (not only verbally but in means of action also). Yes, in the name of change many parents emotionally harass tri children. This should not be done, it’s their life. There is still a set which is major that needs to change. And the change will begin among us.

 

                                                                                               

Till When

 

Poor Google & Yahoo India because they are facing Supreme Court of India. Why? Just because of an advertisement which should have been blocked in India. Anyways let’s not get into who is right and who is wrong? But I guess it should be legalised. The very next moment I yell “NO IT SHOULDN’BE”. Because we already live in a society were a birth of a girl is still a taboo and considered as burden and only a fist full of parents actually feel happy when a Daughter is born.

                    We are in 21^st century living a happy and democratic life. Wait. Are we really? A second thought should be given when we talk about Democracy…  because SATI left, leaving behind its Sister- Female Foeticide. When I think about the steps taken to abolish such practices, I am literally taken back because in spite of so many things are done in the name of Awareness, campaigns, Empowerment, Welfare. The real question is that are they really effective as being portrayed. Answer is certainly a NO.

          Even our Law is working towards it. Campaigns like Beti Bachao Abhiyan, #selfiewithdaughter etc,.  Effective-yes they are but not leaving a remarkable impact. I am nowhere against such Government and its efforts. Why would I be? Even I want such brutal practices to be eradicated from the society.

For an instance if we take a look on Madhya Pradesh governments policy of Beti Bachao Abhiyan, where in a financial support is given in order to secure the future of the girl child.  But we never come across any such Abhiyans for a male child. Why? May be because it was neither necessary nor I guess it is ever going to be necessary.

         

          Haryana is a state where it is most practiced. So much that the girls ratio has gone down so much that girls from other states are being called to Haryana.

          In short how long are we going to need those laws and policies to get rid of such  practices . Will there be a day when a girl will be born out of love and not any fear of law or any greed for money. If yes, then when and how?