Mama Sandy: Your child needs to know about child abuse

On one of those days when I had to come home late, the children had had dinner with their dad. Unfortunately by the time I got back, they were off to dreamland. So I missed our usual stories of how the day faired. Then next day I woke up to a very quiet house and on checking the clock, I was in time for lunch. Just two days without seeing my munchkins felt like years, if you think I’m exaggerating ask any normal mother.

Anyway, I promised myself to pick them from school. They had enough stories stored up for me that I giggled all the way home. The most hilarious one was how they narrated their ordeal with their dad at dinner time. He forced them to eat eggplants and promised to punish them if they refused. My daughter went on to ask, “But Mummy! Is that not child abuse?” I couldn’t help but laugh really hard. The way they illustrated the whole incident, I imagined them explaining to the police on how they had been abused.

Long story short, I informed my husband on what I was told and he felt that he had to make it up to he’s victims by taking them to KFC for dinner and so we lived happily ever after….Brings me to why I had to share this; Does your child really know what child abuse is? Are they even aware of their rights? Do you as a parent know all forms of child abuse or you are one among the many that are ignorant about it, as your children are being abused on a daily basis before you.

Child abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. It can be physical, sexual or emotional, but can just as often be about a lack of love, care and attention. We know that neglect, whatever form it takes, can be just as damaging to a child as physical abuse. An abused child will often experience more than one type of abuse, as well as other difficulties in their lives.

It often happens over a period of time, rather than being a one-off event. And it can increasingly happen online. I have engaged many women living in rural areas on such issues because of the way they are too fast to give their young daughters away for marriage or even some parents who think it’s okay to have a house help below 18 years as long she/he is getting paid. These are among the many incidences of abusing children. I therefore task every parent out there to take it upon yourselves and that of your children to have deeper knowledge on child abuse, because even the surroundings themselves can be abusive for example; a child who is raised in a violent home. Abuse of a child can happen anywhere, at any time and with anyone.

– Musimentas@gmail.com