Children are a symbol of the future; they are also humanity’s only hope for the future. Teaching children about their history is vital to establishing a basis of understanding within them; one that they could be referred back to in times of need.
It is essential that children understand that no matter how bad the situation is, we have all experienced it. There have been generations before them, that have been through the same bumps and trials, and seeing them now at 39 or 65, lets us know that if they survived, we can too. That is why teen, child, even adult suicide, is so detrimental to our society because it is all mental. An idea that was developed of self-perceived isolation that could have very easily been remedied by education and discussion. It is true; it is all about perception. Children and adults should be able to take all of their collective knowledge, and use it to transform the world to fit their purpose-whether that be curing illnesses or educating the next generation.
The main issue some adults have is not wanting to assume responsibility for the enormous pressures that society places on us to be selfless. It never feels like there is enough time for us to young and make silly mistakes, before we are faced with another wave of decisions. However, then we look at our past and our childhood, and we wonder if we had have known a particular thing or maybe if our parents had have raised us as their parents had raised them, perhaps life would not have been so hard.
Children are clay molds begging to be formed in their parent’s likeness. Just like it is indispensable as a parent, to share your favorite Baseball team with your son, or your favorite scarf with your daughter, it is equally as important to share your story. I have seen many parents neglect this parent-child social aspect, and then wonder why their son or daughter has strayed or made the same mistakes they have made. It is because of the lack of honesty. Yes, we want to shelter of kids for as long as we can but protecting them from ourselves, restricts their growth. Children should know about their place in society, their role within their families, and how they were born to make an impact. Nothing is sadder than to see a teenager lost. Unsure about their future and distrustful of their peers and elders. As adults, we should be asking ourselves how is this happen, and how can we make a change in this young person’s life? It is easy for children to lose hope. A bad grade on an exam could spell the end of the world, for a 16-year-old trying to get into an Ivy League college. Because we have lived longer than that little girl or boy, we can laugh and say, hun, you will get another chance to prove yourself.
Though they are sure not to believe us, we can rest easy knowing that one day when they reach our age, they will. Just like we remember various talks we have had with our elders, ones that at the time seemed mundane and counterintuitive; now they seem to be the only things getting us by, and we are thankful to them.