EXPOSING CHILDREN TO SOCIETAL VICES AT YOUNG AGE THROUGH CHILD LABOR

Over the years and till this present moment that I'm making this post, there are children who take to the street to hawk all sort of things like sachet water, oranges, biscuits and so on just because they were not born with a silver spoon. They do these things in pain all day to add to the income their parents bring home. I feel the pains of these children anything I see them on the road because the kind of work they do isn't for their age but they are forced to the streets unless they would not have anything to eat.

Photo by VICTOR AJIBOLA from UNSPLASH

Children taking up odd jobs is common in this part of the World and it is fast becoming a norm. There is no State you'd get to in this country that you'd not see children who are meant to be in school hawking on the streets or even begging for alms with their parents. The question that comes to my mind is that is the parents or the government to be blamed? It is apparently the responsibility of the government to create jobs for their citizens that will increase the Standard of Living. The level of poverty will reduce if there are enough jobs for the citizens of the country and there will be no cause for underage labor.

Sadly, most government in Africa have failed in this regard. They embezzle and misappropriate public funds and leave their citizens to live in penury while they enjoy the goodies that should be meant for all. It became worse to the extent that some families can't survive on the income of the parents only, so they have to stop their children's education so that they can begin to work and bring money to the table. Children at their tender age now have to work for money to feed their family when it should be the sole responsibility of the parents.

These children who are naive due to their age are easily influenced by peer groups to join bad groups who later become terror to the society. This is the major reason most African countries are known for criminal acts. When a child is forced to the street to hustle, he or she would meet with people who will introduce them into drugs, substance, prostitution, fraud, armed robbery and other illegal activities. Children are easily manipulated into doing what they do not want to do because of their lack of experience and this is the part that is being exploited by bad groups.

However, in as much as we are going to blame the government for failing to perform their duties to us. They have refused to provide for us all the social amenities that will improve our standard of living. Even though our human and natural resources are being underutilized due to lack of proper management, we should not contribute to our predicaments by allowing our children at their tender age to engage in activities that can damage their lives. The lack of proper care and monitoring can make them join bad gangs where they start to perpetrate evil in the society. This can lead to the end of their bright life when they get caught and it will also bring disgrace to the family and society at large.

Instead of blaming the government, parents can take it upon themselves to give their kids a good life and not make them go through the same pain they passed through when they were growing. It's the prayer of parents that their children should get to places where we didn't get to and this can't be possible by exposing children to vices and risks through menial jobs when they are supposed to be in school. Instead of sending your kids to hawk, you can create an alternative way of doing your business. But in all ensure that you invest immensely in the future of your children. They will surely pay you back in multiple fold when they grow up and you will be proud of them.