If there's an eleventh Commandment, what could it be?
I was scrolling on my gallery to delete some unwanted files when I stumbled on this one. It was an old image I have saved last year from facebook. After which I read thru, I went to youtube and search for it. Coz honestly I am fond of country songs but never heard of this one yet.
Watching it, it was something that brings tears to one's eyes. Even listening to the lyrics alone is so difficult to take in.
Home is one place a child should be free of abuse, where he should be safe, protected and comfortably living in. It should not be a place where he has to endure suffering at a very young age. Sadly, it is where his body first comes in contact with domestic violence.
Honor thy father and thy father was the fifth Commandment. Children are expected to do so. To respect, obey and their parents. But it is not at all times. However,they are still bound to do so because of fear to the older ones who threatened them after. The society expects it from them.
Why was there no commandment to honor thy children?
Parents are given children to love, care, and protect them from all sorts of harm. That is also their duty and responsibility. Thus, society expects the children to be respectful and obedient towards their parents.
But let's look for some pictures. Children were maltreated at the comfort of their own home. May it be in the form of physical, emotional, verbal, mental and sexual abuse should not be tolerated. It affects their behavior, sanity and view of life in the long run.
Sadly, there are many children out there who suffered the maltreatment of their parents, including sexual abuse. Some were loved and cared for but they receive the abuse from their relatives who should be their second knights along side their parents to protect them.
We are only human, we are not perfect and flawed. We do mistakes but not to the extent of causing repeated harm to our children that makes them unstable in all aspects.
Some over come the treatment and be a responsible, functional citizens but mostly do not. Because mental and emotional abuse are more difficult to heal, thus the need for psychological therapy and counseling for them to become an able and functioning citizen of the society. They need to be healed from their past because if not, the risk of giving the same maltreatment to their future children when they're married is very high.
Thankfully, these days there are laws implemented by the government to further protect the welfare of our children. To rescue them from the abusive and malfunctional environment they're in.
Children are easily threatened by abusers that's why they just keep quite. The existence of laws to protect their rights make it easier for the society to help an abused child.
However, as I have said abuse is not only in the form of physical but mental, verbal, emotional, and sexual which is harder to be proved but harder to be healed from. Neglecting a child in such a way that they lack appraisal and compliments from their parents are forms of emotional abuse.
In addition with this, sexual abuse can be done by anyone and to anyone that's why teaching our kids about their body parts at a young age is important. Teach them the right term of their private parts so that they may be aware of it. This will make them empowered when talking about sexual abuse that may occur, ( knock on wood).
"Safe touch" should also be taught to them so that they may know what is appropriate and not. This may be something of a simple hug to a something that should not be.
Saying "no" not only with strangers but this includes anyone who seems to be trustable who tries to invite them privately.
Moreover, this can be achieve with open conversation with your child..
Closing thoughts
Abuse in any form should not be tolerated. If it is a requirement to honor thy parents then it should do the same with children. Respect, love, protect our kids and they will reciprocate it how we show them. It's not because they are parents that they should be honored, do the same with children and anyone else who deserves it. And not because it's what is demanded of you or expected of you by society.
However, if you're a parent who do the duties and a responsibilities of a good parent, be sure to befriend your child and create bonds so that they may talk to you about any problems they encounter around their environment.
Protect our kids for they are the future and hope of the nation.
05/12/21
z_graeden
I agree, there is no commandment that talks about respecting and loving your children. Here's a fun fact, when a parent lost their kid, what will you going to call them? There is none. When a wife lost her husband, you can call her a widow. But what about for the parents who lost their kid? I don't know if it's related but I just thought it should be said. Great article by the way.