The Family As A Protective Shield For Children - Role of Family in Children's Lives

The Family As A Protective Shield For Children. Let's face it, family is still the basic social institution that caters to the overall need of the children from birth until they are deemed independent to live on their own. That being said, people look and take the family as the primary structure in making sure that our children will have a good life. Everybody then is obliged to make sure that as an institution it will survive the test of times amidst shifting development and changing primary concerns of every individual specially the parents.

This hub focuses on the strength of the family as the protective shield for children -- for their overall growth -- physical, mental and social and the way it is changing brought about by the challenges it faced today and what we can do about it. Although the family confronts many challenges as a factor of social development and shifts in the economic situation, still family holds the key to primarily taking care of our children and we can't change that fact. What are we suppose to do if the basic social institution the family is misguided and confronted by the many problems we face today?

In celebration of the International Children's Day on on June 1 and with International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression on June 4, join me in celebrating the sector of our society which needed most our love, guidance and care -- the children.

You can donate to children's causes by reading this hub -- Where to donate for children's causes, but before donating you may want to read this -- How to Avoid Schemers When Giving to Charities.

The family faced a lot of issues these days and we as members of it is continually challenged to come up with solutions amidst all the problems the society is facing -- like economic crisis, disintegration of values -- protection of children form sexual predators, be it online or actual, in person, nutritious foods that are affordable and making sure that they are guided through education. Being a parents is a huge responsibility indeed.

Some of the major issues that the family is facing nowadays :

1. increased in the rate of divorce that breaks the family apart and the first victims are the children
2. domestic violence and physical abuse in children
3. child labour -- forcing children to work at an early age when they should be just playing and going to school -- this is more prevalent in developing countries where laws are not in placed
4. changing structure specially in the developing world in which one parent work overseas and the children left behind with the care of one parent -- thus at times causing the disintegration of family -- they break apart
5. solo parenthood by choice-- the balance between choosing to rear the children alone or away form the other parents in virtue of conflict between parents or by choice
6. economic problems which exacerbates the hardship and economic problems of the parents i.e, unemployment etc -- emotional consequences and how it affects children
7. social issues and changing values brought about by technology for example "sexting", Internet pornography -- how to secure children from this
8. violence in the home -- where the children sees physical and verbal abuse among parents and they affect them emotionally
9. sexual abuse which the perpetrators are the family members which should protect the children in the first place, but they are the ones who are inflicting abuse to the children

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What We Can Do As Indidividual :

We as individual can't do much if the structures like economy etc are beyond our control, but with little efforts which can be done we can ensure that our children will be protected. Family will come along way as the protective shield for our children. There are social scientists that predict and say that family lost its value as the primary caretaker of society. On the other hand, yes there is an increasing rate of divorce but people still remarry and form a family.

Surely it is a huge task as it is big responsibility to raise children which are happy and which future are secure. Amidst of all the problems we are facing today, economic problems, lest we forget that the kind of lives we build for our children will be inherited by the next generation.

Let us consider these :

• Family issues in choosing government leaders should be considered in carefully choosing leaders in the government.
• We cant afford to be selfish as well, making sure that we think of our children first before we can make drastic move, like divorce -- Making it easier for the other parent specially if you decide on divorce to facilitate that you both take care of your children and for them to have easier access to the children as well.
• Making it sure that we have time for them even if we are busy making a living by striking out balance between time and job. Children always remember the time we have with them.
• Yes we are not perfect but in all our little ways we can build and make sure that our children are protected and taken care of. Little moves and action as a parents goes a long way, it is not difficult as long as we always think about them first.