WHAT CAN YOU DO?

THE ROLE OF THE SOCIETY

Parents and families could reject a child. Fortunately, the society is not known to reject babies. In fact, when given a chance, a good society takes over the responsibility of taking good care of rejected and abandoned children. It therefore turns out that abandoned babies are part of the problems of the society. Thus it is the role of the society to reduce the occurrence of this malady, and seek for a good solution if it occurs.

The unit of any society is the family. It follows that the role of the family in the survival and rearing of children cannot be overemphasized. The care of the unwanted baby has much more to be resolved as they pose peculiar immediate and remote problems.

There are many steps taken by various societies to ensure the prevention of unwanted babies, and cater for their welfare should there be any occurrence. Some of these include education of the general public, use of protective laws, creation of welfare divisions in hospitals, ministries, creation of counselling units, establishment of abandoned or motherless babies homes, fostering, adoption, and some other local arrangements.           

There are also many international bodies, philanthropists, missionaries and other non-governmental voluntary organisations which work hand in hand with these establishments to ensure the survival of our children.

Public enlightenment and educations on matters relating to sex and family cannot be overemphasized. Prevention is better than cure. This measure would help in educating young ones who are more at risk, about the genesis, bad effects and the prevention of unwanted babies. Such education would also furnish the public with the general guidelines on what should be done if such a situation arises.

  

A 15 years old girl was half asleep when she first felt a pleasurable pressure on her mons pubis (the area between the abdomen and the thigh). This soothing sensation soon crept between her thighs, and soon around her vulva. The pleasure was so intense that she reflexly spread her legs apart to allow more access. The next occurrence was mating. After enjoying that bliss of the first episode, she continued copulating unguarded like a dog. The outcome was an unwanted pregnancy, and the delivery of a child with an uncertain paternity.  

On rescuing the baby which she was about to strangulate, she made a shocking confession. She never knew of the existence of such a pleasurable zone in her body, and she did not know that mating could result in pregnancy. She thought that over eating was the cause of pregnancy. Ignorance and misconception!

A widower had a daughter who abandoned her triplets to his care and absconded. The man soon became miserable that he wanted to ‘end it all’. He picked a cudgel and hammered it on the head of the three babies. They died. He regretted the incidence. However, his decision to ‘end it all’ was upheld by law for he was condemned. This deterrent annihilative role of the law has on the long run proved much more preservative than destructive.

  

Most known major religions believe in preserving the life of babies. They seem to be the most subtle in approach, and yet has proved the most effective (especially when combined with law and medicine) in preventing unwanted pregnancy and babies, and the prevention of infanticides.

                  

There is a place where twins were thrown away in line with the cultural belief that they bred bad luck. This inhuman act was stopped by religion. Sacrifice of ram in place of human being is recommended in some religions. The realization of ‘an eye for an eye,, ‘death for death’, has rightly scared the parents of unwanted babies. ‘Thou shall not kill’ is a constant reminder of our obligation to fellow human beings and to our creator. Hell as a divine punishment for murderers is a deterring religious moral which puts off those who could murder undiscovered.

In some places, abandoned, motherless or helpless babies are breastfed by lactating mothers who may do it out of charity, or be paid for it. She could even be a foster mother to the child who is maintained at the expense of the community.

  

The heartless parents who abandon their babies live in the society and may be known. When a baby is abandoned, the people in a smaller community, with some effort and keen interest, usually know who the mother is. At least they should be able to know whose child has disappeared mysteriously. We can help in tracing these mothers since they live amongst us. They know whose mature pregnancy has disappeared without an outcome. We can help the society. It is good to prevent these unfortunate outcomes than to handle these events. That way, we can help both mother and child and the society. 

  

It is sad however, to note that many people in the community are never cooperative in this regard. When they know who the mother of an abandoned baby is, they simply resort to gossip and see the whole event as an interesting gist of the day and interesting stories to narrate. Some see it as a weapon to subdue the woman should she refuse a sex approach or quarrels with them. Some even see it as a source of income as they intend to use the event for blackmail in the future. The fact of the matter is that in this way, they are abetting mothers who abandon or kill their babies. They in this manner contribute to the congestion of the already congested and inadequate motherless babies homes, and propagate crimes and general unhappiness.

  

We should understand that these tormented parents are the products of the society to which we all belong. Some of them are the outcome of the societal ignorance, misconception, and sometimes unexplained misfortune. The abandoned children are our children, our leaders of tomorrow.

Now we get to read The Adventures of Tintin final tomorrrrrrooooooowwww...