IN his 52nd Independence address to the nation, President David Granger touched on the historical movement to Independence and the national achievements over the last half-a-century, at the same time glancing into the future. But the main focus of the President’s address was on children and youth and the Flag Raising ceremony was dedicated to them.
The President’s address was not only unique but it was creative and refreshing and awakened the nation to think about the upbringing of children into men and women who would bring pride and joy to their families and be an asset to the nation. The President remarked: “Children are our future … We need to bequeath to them much more than we inherited from our own parents”. He then went on to mention some of the positive things Independence had brought to children and young people:

The education system had been vastly expanded with new schools and free primary and secondary education and the establishment of the University of Guyana. School feeding programmes were introduced and children helped to get to school by buses, bicycles and boats. The health system had also been vastly improved and expanded with regional hospitals, improved child care, health centres, free medicines, all leading to the reduced incidence of child mortality. The tenor of the President’s address pointed the way to parents and elders responsible for bringing up children. They will have to learn the art of parenting, a skill which parents of two generations ago had perfected.

In the first place, parents must realise that children are not small adults. Children and adults are very different. Children have to go through a number of stages before they evolve into adults and each stage has its own characteristic, which if not understood and properly dealt with could damage the child for a life-time. There are two of the most important and well-known stages we will mention. Up to the age of about 12, the child is still much of a baby. The child needs tolerance, love and understanding. He/she must never be frustrated and adults who find fun in frustrating children should desist from so doing. He/she must be encouraged to read rather than looking at television and parental guidance and help in school work is necessary. If the child does badly in his school work parents should never humiliate him/her but try to find out what problems the child may be encountering and try to help.

Children in these very early years need to be fed properly and good protein intake helps in brain development. Many parents, especially from working class families, allow their children to consume large amounts of sugar which is not helpful to growth and development. One of the things parents should always keep in mind is that food from fast-food outlets, usually known as “junk food” is neither good for themselves or their children. If one visits the fast-food shops at weekends or during the school holidays, one would see parents and their young children eating such “junk food”.

In disciplining children, many parents shout at them or hit them for minor lapses and one could see this happening on the buses and other public places. Many parents beat their children mercilessly, not only hurting the child physically but doing irreparable violence to his/her mind and psyche. This tradition of savage beatings, some sociologists posit, has come down from slavery when all punishments were harsh and violent. Parents must learn to refrain from hitting or beating their children and should use other methods of discipline.
The second stage of the child’s development is between the ages of 14 and 18. This is the stage of adolescence. It is one of the most difficult times for the child as well as for parents. Owing to certain physical changes which are occurring to the body of the adolescent, the child sometimes acts like an adult and sometimes like a child. Parents have to be extraordinarily understanding and tolerant of their adolescent children since the child’s future hangs on these years. Many a child has turned out to be a successful student and later a member of the learned professions, whilst others have turned out to be flaneurs or even criminals as a result of their treatment in adolescence.

Adolescence is a time of puberty and parents have to be very conscious of this and accord their children protection, advice and surveillance. This is especially needed among working class children and particularly girls.

The economic socialisation of children is badly needed in Guyana. The work of youth groups and the schools could be of help but parents would be the most effective. Though the parents themselves may not be economically socialised, they could use those who are better off in the society as examples for their children. Children should be taught to save, pointing out the value of forgoing today’s consumption for tomorrow’s betterment. Or in shopping, they should be taught to look at prices and compare them so that they would be able to get the best value for money. Or children must know that living in a rented apartment is not an inevitability they must know that they could build or purchase their own homes and the concept of a mortgage should be explained to them. The President’s focusing on children and youth is therefore both timely and evergreen.