The immortal American movie producer, Walter Disney once said: “If you can dream it, you can do it!” This well-known quotation inspires and encourages everyone but it is especially directed to the younger generations, who have the time and the luxury to dream endlessly. The quotation fuels more dreams in children while instilling self-confidence in young people and a positive outlook to life.
Children can dream and they can dream big if they find the support and guidance of adults around them – parents, grandparents, educators, youth workers and other professional workers. This is their right. On the other hand, for most adults, it is a privilege to be able to help and tutor children.
Apart from the individual initiatives from adults, children’s dreams can only prosper if there is political guidance. Politicians have a huge responsibility towards children. Politicians should guarantee that children are provided with the necessary opportunities and the right set of circumstances so that children can make their dreams true.
As we celebrate World Children’s Day, we ought to reflect on the challenges that modern life presents to our children. So, as this year’s theme dictates, “for every child, every right”.
Childhood is often considered as the best time in one’s life, when life is simple and carefree. However, it is a sad reality that today’s children are burdened with difficulties and may go through problematic experiences that tarnish the happiness that we typically associate with childhood.
The digital world has opened a plethora of learning opportunities and entertaining activities; however, on the other hand, it also exposes today’s children to the possibility of distressing situations. Parents are the prime guardians of children and, so, their responsibility in safeguarding their children’s online safety cannot be overstated. At the same time, families need to be supported to ensure that abuses are kept at bay. Authorities need to ensure that legal structures are in place to detect and to deter online bullying and online child-grooming.
Nowadays, social media influences our society in wide-reaching ways; its tentacles permeate many aspects of life. A recent report on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC), that was conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organisations’s Regional Office for Europe, determined that, when measuring addiction or dependency on social media, Maltese teenagers are in second place in a list of 44 countries. Furthermore, the report showed that girls are at a higher risk than boys.
The recent negative statistics should serve as wake-up call before further damage is imposed on our youth- Graziella Attard Previe
These statistics paint a dismal picture. I find it unacceptable that our country features so poorly. I would like to see our country’s youths ranking highly in sports, in education and in healthy lifestyles. The recent negative statistics should serve as wake-up call before further damage is imposed on our youths.
Today’s children are richer and, so, they have mod cons, sophisticated games, the virtual internet world all at their fingertips; nevertheless, they are also poorer because they have a lack of open spaces, they breathe polluted air, consume plastic-infested food and most of them are forced to live a sedentary life.
Some children end up spending very long hours in front of a screen, with little human interaction. Some children end up playing the same digital games repetitively and, unfortunately, a few also risk becoming addicted to these games or to social platforms. It is a sad reality that some children are being robbed of quality time playing with other children or of time with their parents.
Children spend a relatively long time at school. I would like to express my gratitude to educators who do their utmost to ensure the best learning opportunities to children. I would also like to draw attention to the fact that our children deserve modern and well-equipped schools.
The school should offer an inviting environment where learning can occur in a holistic way and where students are encouraged to develop their full potential. School should be the place where students feel comfortable and safe. Schools should be inclusive places, where all students are respected and where no form of bullying is tolerated.
For schools to succeed, it is imperative that no child is left behind. It is shameful that we hear of students who wait for years to be statemented. The important formative years in the learning journey of young children can never be replaced. Every single day without the support of a learning support educator is a day lost forever.
The government needs to act fast to ensure that there is the right investment in place to ensure that schools do not lack the necessary professional services for their students.
Our children deserve the best. And they deserve it now. This is their right. A Nationalist government will ensure a better tomorrow where the quality of our children’s lives will improve and where their dreams can come true.
Graziella Attard Previ is the Nationalist Party’s spokesperson on equality, civil liberties and children’s rights.