Give them roots and wings

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One of the reasons I am thankful for my children is that they made me a more loving person.  Somehow when I fell in love with each of them, two things occurred to me.  The first was that everyone was once a child, as lovable as mine was.  The second was that somewhere out there, there is a child, just as lovable as mine was.

Children are so cute! How can anyone not love them?

Since then, every time I read about a child in pain or in trouble, I would wish that I could rescue him/her.  I recall that the first time I met a three year old girl at a Children’s home, I wished I could adopt her.

Over time, I have come to realise that although it would good if I have unlimited time and resources so that I could adopt all the children in the world, the better way is really to help the child thrive in his/her natural environment.  That is why I am a parent educator and I work hard at building families and communities.

Believe me, building families and communities can be hard, and heart-breaking work.

Look at all the children! I participated in the Cardboard challenge. I wrote about our dear RSS SWECS earlier on. It took us lots of hardwork, and it broke our hearts when we had to say good bye.

“Happy Children’s Day! Welcome!” I organised a Children’s Day Party in our home in my block. We were all very excited.

I was prepared for 15 children and about 8 families.

In the end only one mother and her three children came (The baby’s is not in the picture). We are going to have to eat lots of ice cream, and jelly in the next few days…

There is however, one area of my children’s lives which I tend to neglect, and that is in the area of their health.

Recently, all three of my children fell sick from stomach flu.  Being such a close family, we easily spread germs to one another.  I must confess that I do not take much care in the cleanliness of my children.  Besides laziness on my part, another reason was that we want the children develop some level of natural immunity.  There was however another reason which was hidden from me till recently.

I came across this piece of information from a Lifebuoy site:-

Every year, more than 2 million children don’t live to see their 5th birthday due to diseases like Diarrhea and Pneumonia. Many of these deaths can be prevented through the simple habit of regular handwashing with soap.

That was when I realised that I do not insist on certain hygiene habits because I had taken our clean environment and high quality of medical care for granted.  I was sure that the children won’t fall sick, and confident that even if they were to fall sick, the doctors will be able to treat them – it may cost money, but it will not be fatal.

It is amazing what information and revelation can do.  Since reading that tiny piece of information and having that epiphany, I had been very diligent in washing my hands, and in getting the children to wash their hands.

The first reason was of course, for my children’s own benefit.

First you get some soap.

Then you get rid of the dirt in your fingernails.
“Mum, can you see what I am doing? You cannot see? I am blocking you?”

Next, you wash all the yucky things off.

After that, you wipe your hands dry.

Finally, you are done! “Daaaahhnnn…” (Done).

The second was because I felt guilty that my family is living in such a safe and clean environment, and that I can take cleanliness so lightly and still remain relatively healthy.

I felt that I must do more to help children living without such privileges.  I want to be able to tell them – “Wash your hands with soap! So that you may reach your fifth birthday!”  If I cannot even teach my own children to wash their hands with soap, I don’t think I would have the credibility to tell another child that.

I do not travel the world, advocating children to wash their hands.  I do it while at my computer.  For the 5th year running, Unilever, through its Lifebuoy brand, will work with the Millennium Villages Initiative to bring hygiene education to children across 10 countries in Africa. Through this campaign, Unilever hopes to help save young children from potentially fatal diseases caused by poor hand hygiene.

Today is the Global Handwashing Day (GHD), an initiative by Lifebuoy.  Will you too, help a child reach the age of five through handwashing with soap?  Visit the Lifebuoy Handwashing Campaign facebook page, and submit your pledge – it is just a click away.

I always say – there are many ways to love a child.  Building families and communities are some ways.  Helping him/her reach his/her 5th birthday is another.