How to raise a child has been a controversial topic for many years. It's not something that is down to a science, but it's also not something you "can't do wrong". Of course there is definitely room for mistakes; no one is perfect. New parents have to figure things out on their own, possibly doing things differently than their parents, maybe trying to keep the same morals and procedures around for their own kids. New parent figure most out things on their own because a lot of stuff comes from natural instinct, but planning is necessary. How prepared are todays parents?
Should social services visit and evaluate every home? Is that an invasion of privacy? Then again, why should there be anything to hide? Is it over -the-top? Many children could be saved from dangerous home situations every year, but then we have to face the harsh truth. Where would all of the children go? Would it even be beneficial to remove the child from his or her home? On top of that, where we get all of the social workers and money to pay them? These are all unanswered questions that need to be seriously considered. There are children suffering in silence everywhere.
Abuse is extreme, but what about the littler things? Are babies getting the right amount of healthy brain stimulation? Are they eating the wrong foods? Are they watching television too early? Moving enough? There really isn't any way to tell if every child grows up with all the right opportunities. The only thing I can think of to help babies across the country and all over the world grow happy and healthy is to educate future parents. More parenting classes should be available and encouraged. We're raising the next generation of leaders. It is an important job that should be taken seriously. Taking a course in parenting shouldn't be something to be embarrassed about. It shouldn't be expensive either. I've noticed too many new unprepared parents caught off guard about what they're "supposed" to be doing.
Another related issue is teen pregnancy. Teenager's brains are not fully developed. How can they play an adult role if they simply don't know how to? There are things adolescents cannot comprehend yet, such as the outcome of risky situations and their consequences. They have a hard time thinking into the future about consequences. How can you raise a child if you're acting and thinking like a child yourself? There really is not a way to eliminate teen pregnancy all together, that's unrealistic. So what do we do? Educate children more? Teen pregnancy rates in the U.S. has dramatically decreased since 1990, but they're still high. Abortion is another thing to consider, but that's a whole other topic. Are teenagers really able to successfully raise a baby on their own?
Like I said before, there is no exact science to it. Everybody has to figure it out on their own, but it is not something to be overlooked. Parents play in important role in shaping the mental, social, academic and physical lives of their children.
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