Celebrate the Children

Good Morning Dear Readers. I welcome you again to “Zicolo Today”. It’s a beautiful Monday morning here in Nigeria and it’s the 27th of May. It is a day that is recognized to honor Children. It is the Children’s Day Celebration. Children’s Day Celebration “….was first proclaimed by the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in 1925 and then established universally in 1954 to protect children working long hours in dangerous circumstances and allow all children access to an education” (Wikipedia). Truth is, Children are adorable. They are divine gifts from the Almighty God. They smile when they receive love and admiration, they cry when it is their first day at school away from their parents, they giggle when they mingle with their buddies, and they signify nothing but the pure and faithful love. They are indeed true symbol of innocence and love. Childhood memories are often the sweetest of all. They are usually savored for a lifetime. Children's day celebration is fun for the little ones and it is important for the parents too. The true essence of the Children's Day Celebration is to understand the significance of childhood in our lives. Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. It is the time for children to be in school and at play, to grow strong and in confidence with the love and encouragement of their family and an extended community of caring adults. Ironically, in this age many children live in fear, hunger, abuse, exploitation, child-labour etc. Every parent must understand the importance of the children in our society/future. Parents should always be sensitive to the little desires of their little angels. Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for a greater future hence we all must join hands together to ensure they are well prepared for future challenges. The values and disciplines learned as a child are responsible for the kind of adulthood one has. Thus childhood is special and should be celebrated. Children's Day is to remind all young and adults about children's right to enjoy their childhood without any boundaries and to be educated adult in the future. As parents we should not let this day pass as other ordinary day. We all have a responsibility to make this day special for our children. Sincerely, I still wonder why Children’s Day is not a public holiday in this country! In a country where many parents spend little or no time with their, I am of the opinion that observing today as a public holiday would make a lot of difference. Such will definitely afford the Children a rare opportunity to spend time with their (absentees’) parents. Imagine a child, whose parents often leave home for work every 5am, suddenly wakes to the smiles and embrace of his/her parents at the discovery that the day has been specially separated for celebrating children. Such a child will always have the feeling that he/she is part of the society. It should be a day that parents should be able to take their child to visit an NGO or Children's Home. It should be a day that parents can imbibe some precious values in the child through some generous acts. The child can give away some of his/her belongings to a less-privilege child. Such a child will get to know the real significance of this day. Finally, there is no gain-saying in the fact that we all need to rise to the occasion and make this day a truly special day for our children. A day that all children will always look forward to celebrating every 27th of May. I am aware we all have one excuse or the other. I would rather plead that we save it for another day and try as much as we can to make today special for at least a child (either your biological child or not). I wish all the Children a happy celebration. Have a great day.