Editorial: A Cry For Responsible Parenting

It's no surprise that a district representative was spot-on when he said consuming too much kava can lead to child negligence.

He's most likely witnessed it in communities he's worked with or otherwise fallen victim to it.

This is enough for him to speak about it so passionately.

Dreketi representative Joseva Ra tuba was speaking during the Yellow Ribbon Symposium in Labasa, an apt platform which saw chiefs and community-level representatives from Macuata attend.

His profound choice of words was: "Everything starts from Jerusalem, the convicts of today are the result of how they were influenced when they were young.

"What we can see today; mums and dads are so engaged in drinking grog than looking after their children.

"Parents are too lenient; the growth of children is too often given less attention."

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Children are left to fend for themselves.

They are unsupervised and as a result, under our watch as parents, some turn tragic.

Examples of these have been highlighted by Fiji Sun and media outlets.

In other incidents where children are neglected, they begin to follow the wrong crowd and get influenced into criminal related activities such as drugs or stealing at such a vulnerable age.

Parents and guardians are too busy updating their social status and it doesn't even have to be kava sessions.

Socialising isn't wrong. In fact, it's healthy as parents and guardians who work tirelessly to put food on the table for their families sometime need a break from the stress they may face when they get back home.

But when social gatherings take precedent over looking after your own, that's where the line is compromised.

If your children under 18 years old are looking after their younger siblings, that is downright wrong.

If you can afford a night out with your friends, surely you can also afford a trustworthy babysitter for your children.

It's about prioritisng and making the right choices for your children so they don't fall prey to the temptations of this world.

It's about making the time for family; celebrating with loved ones on the things that matter most-the birthdays, the graduations, the first words or first steps.

Those moments of triumphs, and the failures too but reassuring them to do better next time.

It's about trust, it's about belonging and identity. It's also about disciplining them the right way.

If a child feels loved and accepted in their home, they need not want to spend time anywhere else knowing that home is where they truly belong.

It is a timely reminder of the parental disengagement, where the allure of grog takes precedence over the sacred duty of nurturing our children.

Mr Ratuba's analogy of 'everything starts from Jerusalem' serves as a wake-up call to a nation grappling with the repercussions of neglect and indifference.

His speech over the laxity of parental oversight underscores a reality where the growth and well-being of our children are sacrificed at the altar of indulgence.

In a society where traditions run deep and cultural practices intertwine with everyday life, a call to action to reclaim our collective responsibility towards the next generation is urgent.

We need a society where children are cherished, nurtured, and safeguarded from the shadows of neglect.

Feedback: ranobab@fijisun.com.fj