Category: Child

Introduction

Before this class, I like most Americans, was under the impression that there were only three classes in our system. Learning that six parts were interesting because I could see the true distinction immediately. Throughout my life, I have lived in various homes in an assortment of environments and I realized that I have had the opportunity to live a lifestyle in each part of the diamond, except of course upper class. I also found it interesting that I was able to live across so many different spectrums of our class system in only 23 years of life except for one. The upper class is the most prominent overly represented class level in America that often draws people to our country and is actually the most elusive and unattainable of all. Ultimately, although I was given the opportunity to experience many of these levels, there are barriers that I and many are born with that prevent elevation. Many people are born into unavoidable circumstances that prevent them from being able to reach the “American dream” that most people in our society strive for.

Childhood Residency in Lower Middle-Class

When I was a child between the ages of three and nine, I lived a lower middle-class lifestyle. I lived in the more rural area of southern California, in Victorville. This living situation was what many would consider ideal, a two-parent household with 2 siblings in a three-bedroom house, in a nice community. We never went without food or even questioned it, the lights and water always worked, and we always felt safe as far as the neighborhood was concerned. Then shortly after I turned 9 my mother and I became homeless, we lived in our car, then in a storage facility, and then on the streets. For the next few years we bounced from place to place, I missed an entire year of school, and we didn’t always have food to eat or a safe place to sleep, but at that age, I didn’t fully realize the circumstances. At the age of 12 my mother gave me to my father and stepmother, they lived in an urban community known as Bassett with a lot of gangs and violent activity. Once again, I lived in a 3-bedroom house, but this time with a total of 13 people, I shared a room with my 2 foster sisters and my stepsister. I was reenrolled in school and allowed to skip a grade, but the schools I attended were poorly funded and poorly organized. There were no resources to prepare us for life after high school and there was a lack of after-school activities and clubs.

Transition to Upper Middle-Class

When I was 18, I moved away to live with my grandmother in Upland, California. She lived on the upper end of the foothill, which was considered the nice side of town. We had more than enough space with just her, my grandpa, and myself in the 3-bedroom house. The community was safe, followed HOA rules and I never questioned whether I would eat that day. I had my own room for the first time in my life with a bed that my feet didn’t hang off, proper transportation, and an abundance of resources at my disposal. Lastly, at age 20, I moved again to live with my dad and help care for him because he was sick. We lived in subsidized housing in an industrial area, but it was a 2 bedroom and it was very affordable for someone working 2 minimum wage jobs, attending school full time, and caring for someone on disability. We often battled with case managers and the social security department to maintain his benefits. These details express the journey of living across multiple classes in a single lifetime, one’s social or economic classes greatly impact their quality of life, so it only makes sense to need more than just three simplistic levels. In reality, there are probably more than just 6 levels, but there is no way to identify all the different lifestyles being lived in America.

I experienced lower middle, then underclass, then working poor, then moved on to upper middle, and now I am a working-class citizen. I moved up and down the ladder of the class system repeatedly before the age of 20. I make this distinction because there is one level I have never experienced and that is upper class. There is an array of reasons as to why I could not reach these heights and I believe the first and most important is because I do not have, and I was not born into wealth. Although my grandparents may be considered rich, they are well off enough to have little to no concern regarding money, but this is not wealth. By this, I mean they do not have extensive assets or acquired property. They do not have “long” money, this is money that last, that can extend across generations. People with wealth own property and have investments, when they die, they often pass their property and assets to a child or family members. These things acquire even greater value as they are passed on through time.

The estate’s permanence and gravity create stability and protection against the possibility of the family falling into poverty. Wealth in America is often generational meaning that it is passed down through families, resulting in those in power staying in power and controlling who else has or does not have access to that wealth and power. Another related factor of wealth is that in America wealth is predominantly held by those who are white. In class, we looked at a list of the richest people in the United States; the top ten were white men. There I a strong connection between the fact that wealth is generational, and that race or ethnicity plays a large part in it in America. This is because those who conquered and profited off of America at its beginning were all white men and those whose backs the nation was built on who were mistreated and discarded were People of Color.

The Upper-Class Illusion

The upper-class society is often what is promoted in media, although in reality, the group is a significantly small amount of people compared to the entire population of the U.S. I never actually realized before just how severe the economic gap is between the upper class and the general population was. The gap intensified in the 1980s, as the population grew, and thus the demand for production increased, but rather than benefiting our society as a whole a majority of the increased profits only lined the pockets of the elite. In the 2000s the gap increased again due to the development of federal tax policies that were formed to benefit the upper class and help them maintain their already excessive wealth.

As previously mentioned, ethnicity and race do play a large part in shaping the social class status of most members of our society. The American Ethnic Hierarchy best depicts how these roles are viewed, on the top tier are European-American Protestants, the second tier is made up of Euro-American Catholics, Jewish people, and most Asians, and on the bottom tier are African Americans, Latins, Native Americans, and some Asians. These tiers somewhat represent the odds an individual may have of upward mobility in America based on the obstacle that is race. Those on the top have no actual distinction from anyone else other than since the beginning of time their ancestors have believed that they are better than others, they reinforced this belief to the point that others believed it as well, and over time they acquired enough resources to be able to oppress those they thought to be beneath them systematically. Over time the ranking order of this hierarchy has remained essentially unchanged, but there have been some changes to the extent that some groups are no longer penalized as much due to prejudice or discrimination as they once were.

The second tier, for example, made up of Irish, Italians, Jews, etc. is no longer particularly marginalized due to their ethnicities, mostly because they are more able to aesthetically assimilate into the dominant culture than those on the third tier. The third tier is made up of People of Color who were enslaved or indentured servants who were mostly involuntarily removed from their homes and forced to migrate and assimilate into a society that was not built for them. The people on the bottom tier are still at a disadvantage in the present day because of these factors. People of Color never had the opportunities, resources, or power to build wealth as white people have had. Not only were they dealt a bad hand, but then they were forced to play it in a game they don’t know how to operate while the cards are stacked against them.

Ethnicity and Social Class Status

Although I am only half black, I still suffer from some of the disadvantages that come from my ethnicity, like generational poverty. It is seemingly impossible to escape poverty when you are born into it, it’s like starting to play a game in the fourth quarter when the other team is already up 20 – 0. I grew up in a home dependent on government assistance, lacking the resources or the knowledge to find my way out of the pattern. My family couldn’t guide me to higher education or career opportunities because they had never obtained them. My school was more focused on preventing violence and teenage pregnancy than showing us how to apply for college or decide what field of work we wanted to go into. I caught a lucky break and someone from outside my community gave me the hand-up I needed. Unfortunately, that was not the case for many of the students, who were mainly Latin or African American. Most of my peers got pregnant young, took industrial jobs to make ends meet, used government programs and assistance to be able to provide for their families, or just joined the military because it seemed like the only other option.

Conclusion

There is still so much to learn about our class system and how it impacts our lives, but one thing is resoundingly clear: we desperately need revision. Our country is on a downward slope both economically and socially. The working-class people are suffering and the underclass is only increasing. Those in the 1% are drifting farther away from the general population and it is crippling the nation. It is only a matter of time before the underclass swallows the entirety of the whole leaving only the elite and the deeply impoverished.

“Every 9 minutes child protective services substantiate, or finds evidence for a claim of child sexual abuse.”

(U.S Department of Health and Human Services). Controversy about how much maltreatment and neglected actions can affect children’s lives and also be relevant as a trauma experience. In fact, most child abuse cases began to develop at home caused by mother, father, or biological parents. There are many reasons why child abuse continues to exist; lack of knowledge of learning the different types of child abuse (to report it) and how they all can be disturbed future child’s behavior. It is time to encourage communities to make decisions and report signs of child maltreatment and neglect for justice.

A broad definition of child sexual abuse is physical maltreatment, contact, and indirect interactions such as exposure or internet base in activities. “Mother would simply grab me and smash my face against the mirror, smearing my tear-streaked face on the slick, reflective glass. Then she would order me to say over and over again, I’m a bad boy! I’m a bad boy!” (Dave Pelzer, p. 30) Dave Pelzer considers the awareness in reporting children experiencing maltreatment and neglect, he shares through his book his personal terrific child abuse. Dave survived physical, verbal, and emotionally abused at the hands of his own mother. Dave’s mother used the technique to manipulate Dave’s mentality and make him feel guilty over not-real situations. Her evilness got her into a stage where she physically punches, smashes his face, and burned his hand using a stove. With him unable to defend himself his only concern was to receive any punishment except to relive the burning hand experience; when someone interrogates his bruises he refuses to admit his mother’s abuse.

Nowadays, the numerous sexual child abuse keeps increasing with fewer reported actions, these abuse cases are becoming more involved in all ethnicity, race, gender, and ages. Sexual child abuse has two different forms and activities; physical-contact abuse and non-physical contact. When the abuser commits physical contact (sexual abuse) it involves activities such as sexual games, penetration, touching parts of the body, and kissing. Non-physical sexual abuse is defined as children being exploited to be part of commercial pornography and forced into sexual photography poses.

Sexual abuse comes in different forms and cultures. In some cultures, there is a strong belief that children deserve to be abused because of their traditional values. For example, If I was spanked and I’m okay, why shouldn’t I spank my child? A teacher can punish my child if she/he doesn’t pay attention in class. In Vietnamese culture, children who misbehave get brutally and physically abused as a form of discipline. “According to the pupil, it is not uncommon for traditional Vietnamese families to tie a misbehaving child’s ear to a doorknob as punishment.” (McIntyre 1992).

Parents can lose self-control, and create traumatic events while they raising and practicing discipline in their children’s life. discipline can be a risk factor for trauma the key is not to use punishment as the best approach form of correction, but to understand properly the causes of challenging behavior. More importantly, the best way of discipline is to create a supportive environment, give attention, set limits, reward good behavior, praise good behavior, and give explanations of self-decision vs consequences. Understanding the concept of CSA continues to be a challenge in many cultures but if everyone loves and wants the best for children to look for resources and trauma symptoms preventions.

Healthy development is defined that children of a variety of abilities or all abilities are capable to grow up where emotional, educational, and social needs are met (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). It is important to know that children learn holistically. Holistic development is seeing every child as a whole. This is a learning approach that indicates the values of emotional, physical, and psychological development in early childhood (Medlicott, 2019). The purposes of this essay are to explain how a child’s early experiences can have a significant impact on at least two aspects of their development. In addition to this, it will also aim to summarise the different concepts, theories, policies, and values which are associated with social and emotional development and physical development. The first aspect which can have an impact on a child is social and emotional development. This type of development processes how children are beginning to figure out who they are and how they are feeling when starting to interact with others (Help Me Grow, 2020). An early experience that can affect development is attachment. A second aspect that can affect a child’s development in many ways is physical development. Brain development is an early experience that can affect development. In the brain, connections are made, especially between the age of birth and eighteen months. The earlier the experiences are made the more it shapes the brain (Leadsom, 2013). It is important to remember that the first years of a child’s growth and development are crucial. Laying good foundations between these years can have a positive impact on development later in life (Brodie, 2018).

Social and emotional is an aspect of development that can have a significant impact on a child’s development. One of the concepts which can affect social and emotional development is attachment. This not only affects social and emotional development it can also significantly impact other aspects such as physical, language and communication, and learning. Attachment is an emotional bond between a child and its primary caregiver. It is essential that the primary caregiver creates a secure bond with the child in the early years because this is when critical bonds are formed (Mentally Healthy Schools, 2020).

A theory that focuses on attachment was created in 1958 by a man called John Bowlby. This theory is called Attachment Theory. Bowlby was interested in how an early experience of a child might have an impact on their development and adulthood. In this theory, an attachment bond is developed from a baby’s need for safety and protection. He believes that a baby’s instinctive need was not just for food, it was also for security and protection. A baby’s attachment-seeking behavior engages the primary caregiver’s attention, for example, if a baby cries, it attracts the caregiver’s attention to give the needs of the baby, which could include feeding, changing, or touching. If the caregiver reacts to the baby’s needs positively and regularly it will create a secure bond between the baby and the caregiver. (O’Connor, 2018). One aspect of attachment theory is the concept of a secure base. A secure base creates trust allowing children to explore and learn. Having a secure attachment is also influential in regulating stress in children, resilience, and adaptability (Rees, 2007; Bowlby, 1969).

A concept that links to the Attachment Theory is ‘Serve and return’. Serve and return is a way of building a relationship between the primary caregiver and the child. This type of interaction shapes the brain architecture. When a baby tries to communicate with their caregiver, this could be crying, babbling, or gestures and the caregiver responds with a hug, eye contact, or words, connections are built in the brain to support the development of social skills and communication (Center on the Developing Child, 2020). Building these neural connections in the brain is essential! If serve and return is stopped a process called synaptic pruning will take place. This is where the brain removes connections in the brain which are no longer needed. This can cause a significant impact later on in development. (Gill, 2018)

A policy that links to social and emotional development is the Early Intervention Policy. This is a public policy that supports children and their families to prevent a variety of problems from occurring later on in the child’s life. The problems could include trying to prevent mental health, behavioral issues, physical health issues, etc. An approach to prevent a disruption in development to help families and children can be home visiting to families who are vulnerable, this could include caregivers with maternal depression. Different kinds of activities led by a professional can help children with early intervention and prevent development problems in the future years (UK Parliament, 2019). A factor that may affect attachment is maternal depression. This can have an impact on the family as a whole. However, it can have a significant adverse effect on the primary caregiver and the baby. Maternal depression can disrupt the development of brain architecture and can lead to toxic stress for the baby (New York State, 2015).

A second policy which associated with social and emotional development is The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This policy sets standards that all caregivers must make sure that children learn and develop efficiently making sure they are kept safe and healthy. A principle within this framework is ‘Positive Relationships. The principle states that children learn to be independent and strong when a primary caregiver creates a secure bond with the child (Department for Education, 2017). This principle can be linked back to the theory of attachment, which was created by Bowlby, he stressed the importance of secure relationships between children and the caregiver (Bowlby, 1969). A statutory specification of the EYFS that is seen in practice is the ‘Key Person’ approach (Department for Education, 2017). It is important in the early years a key person is assigned to environments such as schools or nurseries to make sure their own specialized needs are met (Essex County Council, 2020). The key person approach can also link to another principle which is the ‘Unique Child’.

Physical development is an aspect of development that can have a significant impact on a child’s development. A concept that can have a significant impact on brain development. Brain development is critical in the early years of development and starts functioning soon after conception. A child’s early experience can have a prolonged impact on the architecture and developing brain. Experiences will shape a child’s brain and it will determine whether the child will have weak or strong foundations for all developmental competencies such as health, behavior, and learning. (Centers on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2011). The circuitry of the brain is continually changing in response to experience. This is called brain plasticity. (Kolb, 2003).

A theory associated with brain development is Triune Brain. This theory was created by a neuroscientist called Paul Maclean. Maclean believes the brain consists of three distinct areas which are, the reptilian, limbic, and neocortex brain, each section showing another layer of evolutionary development. Maclean’s model suggests the reptilian brain was formed first which takes charge of instinctive behavior and bodily functions for survival such as breathing, movement, hunger, and temperature regulation. (Komninos, 2020). The limbic brain is responsible for emotions, the main parts of the brain for this are the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. These parts have a big influence on human behaviors. The neocortex is also known as the thinking brain, this part of the brain is linked to higher-order thinking such as problem-solving, thinking, planning, and decision-making (The Brain from Top to Bottom, 2020).

A concept that links to this theory is the fight-or-flight response. This response is a coping strategy carried out when there is a potential threat or danger. (Steimer, 2002). When there is danger a hormone is released called adrenaline, giving a burst of energy and strength preparing for threat. Defensive actions would represent ‘fight’ and ‘flight’ is escaping danger by running or freezing. Fight-or-flight response is classed as an acute type of stress. (Young Diggers, 2020).

A physical factor that has proved to affect brain development is childhood neglect. Neglect is the continuous failure to meet a child’s basic needs such as shelter, food, clothing, and being kept safe. Neglect can have a prolonged impact on a child’s physical and mental development. (NSPCC, 2020) A case study that proves that abuse and neglect affect brain development is The Romanian Orphanage 1990. Children in these orphanages were seriously neglected and starved from human contact. The journalist who discovered this named Bob Graham reported that there was no crying or no noise coming from the children even though they were awake. The staff ignored the children and there were no signs of toys, books, or play. (Jepsen, 2020) Some children got adopted into nurturing families and the early neglect has left significant impacts on their brain structures. The Romanian adopted children had an 8.6 percent smaller brain than average individuals. (Davis, 2020) The children who were in this environment were seriously delayed in their cognitive and social development (Glaser, 2000). This shows that early childhood experiences can have a lasting impact on children’s lives. It shows that earlier intervention the better development of the child.

A policy that links to physical development is The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This policy set standards that all caregivers must make that children learn and develop efficiently making sure they are kept safe and healthy. According to the principle of ‘Enabling Environments’ children learn and develop effectively, which will make the child have a positive experience, and this will gain strong partnership between primary caregivers and practitioners (Department for Education, 2017). Enabling environments can be seen in practice when a practitioner supports a child to take risks and explore. In addition, it can also be seen in practice when practitioners use interesting equipment related to all children’s cultures. This is showing equality, diversity, and inclusion.

I’ve struggled a lot with identity and limits in regard to pain. It’s a persistent battle that I’m sure I’ll always be fighting. Chronic illness is something I have to think about every day.

I’ll be moving across the country for college soon, and as I prepare for this big transition, I’ve been thinking back on my past experiences.

My entire experience with chronic illness so far is a lot to unpack, so I’ve organized this post chronologically. The events go in order from oldest to newest.

Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis

I was first diagnosed with junior rheumatoid arthritis when I was four years old. Because of this, I don’t remember when I first experienced joint pain. My parents tell me that I would refuse to walk on my own.

In elementary school, my pain didn’t interfere with my activities much. I wanted to do everything. I loved being active.

There were several sports I participated in including soccer, gymnastics, and competitive alpine ski racing. I no longer participate in any of those sports, but ski racing was a big part of my life growing up.

I started medications other than naproxen in late elementary school. They were all injections administered by my mom. While I tried a few over the years, there was one that was notably bad. Every week I would sit down for the injection, and I would be vomiting half an hour later. It made me so sick that I couldn’t smell alcohol without feeling nauseous for years.

Because of my hate for this particular medication, my doctors suggested we put the medication in juice for me to drink. My mom would pour it into the same shot glass every week with a little bit of orange juice.

I can tell you with confidence that I will never enjoy orange juice again.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

My abdominal pain started in eighth grade. It came on suddenly in class, and my teacher was kind enough to let me out of class to lie down.

My mom took me to an emergency room soon after. At the time, we thought it was appendicitis. After a quick stay, we were told that I did not have appendicitis and I was told to go home with no other insight about my pain.

I saw a gastroenterologist not long after this. The diagnosis process is a bit fuzzy, but I know it involved a colonoscopy and endoscopy. I absolutely hated the experience, and I’ve had the pleasure of doing it three times now.

After some tests, my doctor diagnosed me with inflammatory bowel disease. The diagnosis was tentative, and it still is. My tests were never conclusive enough to get a true diagnosis.

Something I discovered recently was the diagnosis of eosinophilic gastritis and colitis in my medical records. It’s likely that these are tentative diagnoses as well, but my doctor never even bothered discussing them with me.

Psoriatic Arthritis

I found a new rheumatologist not long after getting my IBD diagnosis. This new doctor took one look at my fingernails and told me I had psoriatic arthritis (fingernail pits are a common symptom). In all honesty, the only thing this changed for me was what I called it.

I don’t remember if the re-diagnosis is what caused a medication change, but I switched medication around this time as well. It was a monthly IV infusion that I had to spend hours at the hospital. It didn’t cause too many side effects, but they always gave me Benadryl, which caused a lot of grogginess the following day.

Loss of Identity

This is a topic that I could write an entire post on. Chronic illness has a way of sneaking into every crevice of your life, and it’s difficult to cope with.

After my eighth-grade year, I quit ski racing. I had decided that the steep price wasn’t worth the pain it caused. I was missing too much training and pushing my body past its limits.

This was a blow to my identity and self-worth. I started ski racing when I was seven, and I thought that I would always identify as a ski racer. It took me two years to get back on skis. Part of me was ashamed that I had quit racing, so I avoided going at all.

I suspect that ski racing is something I’ll always miss, but I’ve since found other passions that keep me occupied. Chronic illness affects every realm of my life, and it’s something I always have to be wary of.

Ninth Grade

My freshman year of high school did not bring much luck to me. I was still struggling with abdominal pain and ended up missing nearly 100 days of school. Despite having a 504 plan, teachers refused to give me missed work. My teachers also accused me of skipping class. I pulled some D’s that year and even had to drop a core class.

There is one interaction in particular that sticks in my mind from freshman year. A teacher offered my group extra credit if we all helped put away the class’ (heavy) textbooks. I denied the offer to avoid the strain on my wrists. I jokingly said that my arthritis was a bad excuse. A girl from my table shot back, telling me that it was, in fact, a bad excuse.

Tenth & Eleventh Grade

After my experience at a brick-and-mortar school, I decided to try a virtual alternative. I attended lectures from my laptop and completed coursework from home. The experience allowed my pain levels to go down, but I lost most of my social life. On the one hand, I could stay in pajamas all day. On the other hand, I had limited social interactions.

During this time, I switched medications again. I was developing an allergy to the IV infusion, so we had to stop. I started a twice-monthly injection at home, which I still do to this day. It doesn’t cause many side effects, which I’m very grateful for.

Fibromyalgia

For my senior year of high school, I opted to take a few classes at a different public high school. This allowed me to have some social interactions while not overwhelming my body.

I made it about halfway through my senior year before experiencing some new symptoms. At first, I thought it was a bad arthritis flare, but the symptoms deviated from a typical flare. My rheumatologist later confirmed that my arthritis was not flaring.

We also tested for Hashimoto’s disease due to my family history. We found elevated antibodies, but no abnormal hormone levels.

I visited a few doctors before deciding to see a new specialist on Fibromyalgia. My rheumatologist had mentioned it but was not very helpful in offering solutions.

The specialist diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia after a very lengthy appointment. I was lucky to get such a quick diagnosis, but the doctor pushed medications on me. I’ve opted to avoid them for now, but the specialist continues to push it as an inevitability of fibromyalgia.

Present

This brings us to the present. I have a few weeks left in my senior year of high school and I am looking forward to college. My self-care routine is always changing, and it will continue to do so as I learn to manage new symptoms.

If you have read this far into my post, I would like to thank you. I know that this was a long, very personal post. I wanted a post on my blog that gives a brief overview of my experience with chronic illness, and I hope that this sums everything up well.

I’m stuck in the middle, stuck between an older brother and a little brother. People often look upon the middle child negatively. Because they are somehow always forgotten about, and when they get a sparse amount of attention, it’s usually for all the wrong reasons. I, however, respectively disagree. I am who I am today because of my family and, most importantly, because of my role as the middle child.

From the day I was born I had an immediate best friend. My older brother was the leader. If he wanted to play with tinker-toys, then I wanted to play with tinker-toys. When he laughed, I laughed. For a while, we did everything together. Even when our rooms were feet apart, we wore matching lobster pajamas and slept in the same bed.

Some of my fondest memories are growing up with an older brother. When he drove me to my first day of high school, he could sense my nerves. He had felt the same two years ago, so he switched my favorite song on the radio for comfort. How fortunate I am to have someone walk through life a couple years ahead of me. I was able to stand back and watch as he faced challenges I would soon face. He would navigate first, and I followed confidently right behind. Most importantly, my older brother taught me how to listen, to take advice and to take a step-back for others to lead.

Yet, our relationship is not perfect. Everything is a competition, but it only forces both of us to be the best versions of ourselves.

My little brother was born years behind me. Overnight, I went from an average seven-year-old to a seven-year-old with a burp cloth and pacifier in hand. I knew what it was like to have a strong bond with a sibling, and I wanted the same for him and me. And so, I was there as he learned to walk and talk. This time I was the leader. I was always, and still am, his role model.

My little brother looks up to me more than any other person. The joy I feel at the end of every night when he screams from his room “you’re the best sister ever, and I love you” cannot be compared. I am the one with whom he spends countless summer days and who teaches him how to do his math homework. I can make him belly laugh endlessly. Our little traditions— after-dinner piggyback rides, or special handshake – remind me of our bond. Being his older sibling forced me to take on a new kind of responsibility. After all, if I was going to be a role model for him, I had to be the best person I could be.

Today, I rely on the same qualities I’ve been practicing my entire life. Being the middle child has improved and implored my confidence and sense of responsibility, and has given me strong leadership skills. My success on the Community Leadership Team at school has truly been because of my role in my family. I was chosen to be a model for younger high schoolers because of my leadership skills and my ability to listen and be there. So, while to many being the middle sibling may seem like being short-changed, it has proven to be the single most valuable aspect of me.

From the beginning of life, the family is the main institution of education. It is the starting point of the entire educational process because what a child acquires in his family in his childhood, he keeps throughout his life. The importance of the family as an educational institution is because the child has been in it for a significant part of his life, and by the length of his influence on the personality, none of the educational institutions can be compared with the family. It bases the foundation of the child’s personality, and by the time he enters school he has more than half-formed as a person. However, do not forget that the family can act as both a positive and negative factor in education. Of course, no one can give a child as much love, affection, and care as the closest relatives and parents to him. And at the same time, no other social institution can potentially do as much harm in raising children as a family can do.

A family that is unable to properly raise a child leads to serious violations in the process of socializing the child. Therefore, the problem of the influence of family education on the development and formation of personality is so relevant. In connection with the special educational role of the family, the question arises of how to maximize the positive and minimize the negative effects of the family on the upbringing of the child.

The parenting style has a significant impact on the personality of a teenager. The style of family education is a way of parents’ attitude to the child, their application of certain methods and methods of influencing the child, expressed in a peculiar manner of verbal treatment and interaction with the child. Any disharmony in the family leads to adverse consequences in the development of the personality of the child, to problems in his behavior. Extreme types of relationships (authoritarianism or disengaging) negatively affect the mental development of children. The authoritarian style in children causes alienation from parents, a sense of insignificance and unwillingness in the family. The disengage style makes a teenager feel that his parents are useless. The weakening of the parental principle, as well as its hypertrophy, contributes to the formation of a personality with weak confidence. Family education is a focused, conscious educational impact, carried out by parents to form certain qualities and skills. Educational influences are carried out based on a reinforcement mechanism – encouraging behavior that adults consider correct and showing that they violate the established rules, parents introduce a certain system of norms into the child’s mind, compliance with which gradually becomes a habit and an internal need for the child; identification mechanism – the child imitates parents, focuses on their example, tries to become the same.

There are various approaches to family education styles. One approach is the traditional approach, which highlights the following parenting styles:

1. Authoritative parents: a parenting style in which parents are high in demandingness and high in responsiveness (i.e., they love their children but also set clear standards for behavior and explain to their children the reasons for those standards). Parents are the authority for the child – they take an example from them. Democracy reigns in such families – when deciding important issues, the opinions of all its members are taken into account. Parents set the rules for the child taking into account the needs and interests, always accept the feelings and emotions of their child, are ready to give him autonomy in resolving those issues that he already can do. One of the main features of such a family is flexibility: parents change the system of rules and norms depending on the age of the child. The level of control by adults is high, physical and verbal aggression is absent. A child brought up in a family that uses an authoritative style of upbringing will be distinguished by high self-esteem, determination, willpower, responsibility. Such children are confident in themselves and their abilities, they know what they are striving for, and most often they are friendly. They are ready to fulfill social norms, have a high level of self-control and self-regulation, respectively, the risk of deviant behavior in such families is quite low.
2. Authoritarian parents: a parenting style in which parents are high in demandingness but low in responsiveness (i.e., they require obedience from their children and punish disobedience without compromise, but show little warmth or affection toward them). It implies strict methods like ‘As I said, it will be so’; parents set the rules and are not ready to change them, the child in the family does not have the right to vote and is forced to obey. Parents tightly control the child, do not accept, and sometimes even reject his feelings and feelings. They love a child, strive to give him all the best – everything except affection and understanding. As a result of such education, the baby will grow up passive, will always be guided by authoritative personalities, and will not be able to take the initiative. In families using an authoritarian parenting style, any leadership manifestations are suppressed. Such children are at risk of dependent behavior.
3. Permissive parents: a parenting style in which parents are low in demandingness and high in responsiveness. They show love and affection toward their children but are permissive with regard to standards for behavior. This parenting style is close to anarchy. Everything is possible for a child – he grows up in an atmosphere of complete permissiveness. Parents warmly relate to their child and accept his emotions, fully trust the child, relieving themselves of responsibility for the result. The level of control is low – parents are not able to demand and organize, in fact, not helping the child and not supporting him. Children grow up anxious, nervous, because they do not have clear rules and norms – they do not know how to. Prone to disobedience, aggressiveness, impulsiveness. Problems in kindergarten and school often arise from the need to follow the rules. These children are highly likely to fall under the influence of antisocial groups.
4. Disengaged parents: a parenting style in which parents are low in both demandingness and responsiveness and relatively uninvolved in their children’s development. This is the most unfavorable parenting style, in which there is no acceptance of the feelings and emotions of the child, and control. Parents are emotionally cold to the child, do not notice his interests, and do not deal with him, while they are very picky – they demand to observe order and obey the requirements. Children from these families are most susceptible to the formation of deviant from the norms of behavior up to the commission of offenses. It is difficult to predict exactly how a child will grow up in such a family – he can be very aggressive and impulsive, or maybe anxious and insecure.

The attitude of parents to children is a system of diverse feelings in relation to the child, behavioral stereotypes practiced in communicating with him, the characteristics of education and understanding of the nature and personality of the child, his actions. Depending on the parenting style, the personality of the child is formed. For example, a child whose parents have chosen an authoritative style will most likely be more independent, creative with high social skills. While a child whose parents choose the disengaging style is most likely to be problematic, impulsive, and prone to self-destruction. The authoritarian style in children causes alienation from parents, a sense of insignificance and unwillingness in the family. Parental demands, when they seem unfounded, either cause protest and aggression or habitual apathy and passivity. An excess towards tolerance also makes the teenager feel that parents do not care about him and prevent him from forming a responsible relationship. Passive disinterested parents cannot be imitated and identified, and other influences — schools, peers, the media — often cannot fill this gap, leaving the child without proper guidance and orientation in a complex and changing world. Permissive style can lead to the fact that the child becomes irresponsible and immature. Excessive protection and love can hurt just as much neglect and disengage.

Emotional relationships in the family play an important integrating role, due to which family members feel as a single community and feel the warmth and support of each other. Relationships of love and sympathy contribute to the reduction of frustrating experiences, without which family life and parenting cannot do. Violation of emotional relationships in the family has a negative impact on the formation of the personality of a teenager.

It should also be noted that the development and formation of the personality depend not only on the style of family education, a huge number of internal factors (factors of the influence of the family microenvironment) and external factors (factors of the macroenvironment) influence the personality. But, nevertheless, the family is the closest environment of the child, therefore its influence is the most significant.

In my opinion, an authoritative style is the most favorable for the formation of a harmonious personality. The most important thing when using it is to define boundaries in early childhood. The liberal style may seem attractive to those parents who care about the freedom and independence of the child, but in reality, it does not bring the proper result. But indifferent and authoritarian styles should be avoided because most often they harm and distort the personality. In any case, children need warmth, emotional communication, understanding, and acceptance. If all this is combined with reasonable rules and prohibitions, it’s possible to explain why this is not possible, but it is possible, it is more likely that the child will grow up confident and independent.

“And according to the law I was damned. I had no money, I was weak, I was ugly, I was unpopular, I had a chronic cough, I was cowardly, I smelt…..but a child’s belief in its own short comings is not much influenced by the facts…..I had no other authority to refer to….but this sense of guilt and inevitable failure was balanced by something else: that is, the instinct to survive”, ( Orwell, 1947, p.43). The aim of this essay is to examine how a child’s life is socially constructed, by analysing the deterministic and essentialist view of their transition into adulthood. This will use Orwell’s quote to demonstrate.

Gittins (1998) explained that the term ‘the child’ denies the contradictions and complexities within human beings, just as it denies the different genders, classes, ethnic groups, family-households, religions and nations. Society tends to think of ‘child’ as having a clear chronological meaning directly related to biological developments, but there is no universal agreement as to when a child ceases to be a child and becomes an adult as this is defined within different cultures (Gittens, 1998).

Hopkins (1983), defines adolescence as a transitional period between childhood and adulthood, when much personal growth takes place, which is generally considered to be puberty. Childhood like adolescence is viewed differently in some cultures and societies at different times in a child’s life. Childhood and adolescence seem to be made up as they are considered mini adults. In Orwell’s time this transitional period was not considered as they were children then adults. Society recognises this as a stage of human development. According to Orwell’s quote, he was going to a transitional phrase from adolescent to adulthood and this was not a period that he enjoyed. He referred to himself as being unpopular, weak, ugly and lacking confidence, these are all traits of having low self-esteem and are still seen today in society which leads to peer pressure especially in teenagers. Healey (2007) explained, as young people start developing, they become more aware of what others, especially what their peers, have to say. Feller (2001) also supported this by saying everyone, especially teens wants to be accepted by people they admire and will do anything to fit in with a group. During adolescence individuals are required to make major adjustments, to develop new skills, or learn to cope with experiences. For many, this can include moving away from their birth home to attend school or establish network of friends. This was also acknowledged by Orwell in “Such, such were The Joys”, as he moved away from home at the age of eight to attend St Cyprian’s. This was also a great distance away from his birth home, without his parents as the authoritative figures.

Puberty is recognised around the world. Different cultures have puberty rituals, with different cultures and locations having different expectations, along with the age one becomes an adult (Pfeffer and Nunez, 2016). For example, in Japan, the second Monday in January, 20-year olds get dressed up in their finest attire and attend a ceremony known as the Coming of Age Festival and recognises the age when the Japanese believe youth become a mature, contributing member of society. They can now vote and drink. Whereas, In Malaysia, 11 is a special birthday for some Muslim girls, as it marks the time when they can celebrate Khatam Al Koran, a prestigious ritual that demonstrates their growing maturity at their local mosque. Girls spend years preparing for this day, reviewing the Koran so they can recite the final chapter before friends and family at the ceremony. These are all unique periods of transitions that are recognised by different cultures. The age that adolescence is attained is celebrated differently in cultures, as this is acknowledged by all as a period of learning to become an adult. They are now allowed to take risks and make mistakes, because once they become an adult, they will be expected to be perfect. This period is transitional and not biological because society say when this period is. Puberty is biological as children from different cultures or background around the world goes, through this stage by reaching physical and sexual maturity. Although different cultures see the attainment age differently, the NSPCC (2019), reiterates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as everyone under the age of 18 as a child.

As seen in Orwell’s time, children did as they were told by an adult, as adults were the authority figure. James and James (2004), specified adults had authority, not only over their child, but also their childhood, as part of the conformity as part of bringing up children. Today adults are still in authority, but children now have rights as seen in the United Nations convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) and the Children Act (1989). UNCRC was put in place to recognise the rights of children and young people to ensure that they grow up in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity. During Orwell’s school days he was never given the opportunity to go through adolescence. He moved away from home and stated in his quote “I had no other authority to refer to”. This could be parental guidance, or he felt that he could not turn to anyone at the boarding school, forcing him to make adult decisions while he was still only a child. At that time, society expected children, that were not given the opportunity to attend school, to work from a young age to provide for the rest of the family. With changes to Laws and Legislations, society has now given children the opportunity to go through adolescence, they now have rights and responsibilities. The ability to be in school until eighteen years and the choice to further their education or join the work force.

Adolescence is a period that is socially constructed by the western culture. Philippe Ariѐs (1962) a historian of the family and childhood, first highlighted the social construction of children and found that “in mediaeval society childhood did not exist” (Frost, 2005). Children were a child then an adult, no period for adolescence. Children were not granted a special or distinctive social status. This was observed in Orwell as he was a child at school then a solider in the army. Kapunan (1971), supports this saying until recently, the importance of adolescence as a period in the development of man was not recognised. Friedman (1999), endorsed the fact that adolescence is a Western construct and explains that this is heavily supported by the explosion of mass media and travel, which has given rise to the risk of culture degrading along with self-esteem of both the young and old, losing qualities that are of great importance to their culture. Orwell never had this transitional period; he went from child to adult as was the norm in his era. Society now gives adolescents freedom, rights and responsibilities, but still sees this as a period where they can experiment at being an adult. They are treated as young adults where they are expected to make mistakes for when they are really considered adults.

Society expects adolescents to act as adults, but they are treated as children. They are thought to be old enough and have enough common sense to know how to act. Society also expect them to follow the rules set out for them as they are still the child at home, school and in public. Smetana (2011) observed that children are bombarded with many different types of rules, prohibitions and expectations along with many different types of social interactions. Adults have a negative perception of adolescence and thinks that the rise of juvenile delinquency, drugs and alcohol use and teenage pregnancy reflects a breakdown in the morals of society as adolescents are rejecting parents’ moral values and authority. Louw (1998) also noticed that society labels adolescence as teenagers and expects them to be rebellious, unpredictable, sloppy and wild in their behaviour. This is also reinforced by the media daily.

Psychologists described the deterministic view as no free will and an illusion. They further asserted a person’s behaviour is governed by internal and external forces, which they have no control over with their behaviour being predictable. A young person’s behaviour is determined by the way they were brought up within their family and culture, the interaction with their peers and personal experiences, (Sparks, 2018). Orwell lived in a deterministic society as he had no free will, but he is an essentialist because he changed his destiny by becoming a journalist and a famous author. Theorist Albert Bandura (1977), supported this as he believed that children learn in social environments by observing then imitating the behaviour of others. He also believed that learning could not be fully explained through reinforcement, but that the presence of others was an influence and often determined whether children adopted the behaviour themselves (Wheeler,2020). As seen in adolescents, this is used as a time in with adolescence is experimented, in this time they can copy adult behaviour, but make mistakes. This time was given to ensure they are fully formed adults that can make a meaningful contribution to society.

In conclusion, a child’s development into adulthood is determined and influenced by several different factors and will affect each child differently. As seen in Orwell’s time, young people still have the desire to fit in with their peers. Childhood has changed from Orwell’s time to present day with the UNCRC and the Children Act now giving children a voice so that they can be included in the choices that are available to them. It is safe to say that adolescence is culturally and socially constructed with lots of influences from Western culture like social media, however this can be viewed as both positive and negative, based on each individual choice, as individuals can influence their own development. Corsaro et al, (2009) confirmed that adolescents were regarded as adults in Western cultures, until recent times adolescence has been regarded as a stage of development between childhood and adulthood.

Reference list

1. Gittins, D. (1998) The Child in Question. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
2. Orwell, G. (1947) Such, such were the Joys. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
3. Hopkins, J, R. (1983) Adolescence: The Transitional Years. London: Academic Press, Inc.
4. Pfeffer, L. and Nuñez, C. (2016) 13 Amazing coming of Age Traditions from around the World. Available at: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/13-amazing-coming-of-age-traditions-from-around-th/ ( Accessed: 21 January 2020).
5. Healey, J. (2007) Peer Pressure. Spinney Press.
6. Feller, M, R. (2001) Everything You Need to Know about Peer Pressure. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group Inc.
7. United Nations Human Rights. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx ( Accessed: 23 January 2020)
8. James, A. and James, L, A. (2004) Constructing Childhood: Theory, Policy and Social Practice. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
9. GOV. UK. The Children Act 1989 c.41. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41 (Accessed: 23 January 2020)
10. Friedman, L, H. (1999) Culture and Adolescent Development, pp. 1-6, Journal of Adolescent Health [online]. Available at: https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(99)00047-6/fulltext (Accessed: 25 January 2020).
11. NSPCC (2019) Children and the Law. Available at: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system/children-the-law/ (Accessed: 26 January 2020).
12. Sparks, J. (2018) Psychology Issues and Debates: Free Will and Determinism. Available at: https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/reference/issues-debates-free-will-determinism (Accessed: 25 January 2020).
13. Louw, A. (1998) Human Development, 2nd edn. Cape Town: Kagiso Tertiary.
14. Smetana, J. (2011) Adolescents, Families and Social Development: How Teens Construct their Worlds. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
15. Corsaro, W., Honig, M. and Qvortrup, J. (2009) The Palgrave Handbook of Childhood Studies. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
16. Wheeler, S. (2020) Bandura’s 4 Principles of Social Learning Theory. Available at: https://www.teachthought.com/learning/principles-of-social-learning-theory/ (Accessed: 26 January 2020).
17. Frost, N. (2005) Child Welfare: Major themes in Health and Social Welfare. Oxon: Routledge. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11804406

I chose to interview my 40-year-old neighbor, M.A., a Latin American female who has lived in the US for about 20 years. M.A. is now married and a stay-at-home mother to her 2 children. Her daughter is 10 years old and her son is 7 years old. I explained to M.A. that I was going to be interviewing her about her culture and circumcision. When asked about her personal beliefs, she shared that circumcision is not common amongst Latinos. She did claim that she is now more familiar with the custom of circumcising after living in America for 20 years. When asked if M.A. and her husband decided to circumcise their son, she claimed that they decided not to circumcise their son. She explained how at the time of the decision, she wasn’t able to support the procedure because she didn’t know of a single good reason why she should have had her child circumcised. She said she would never be able to make such a big decision when knowing so little about such a life-changing topic. When asked if there were any health benefits with circumcision, she claimed that there were no health benefits that she knew of or believed in. When asked about her husband’s input on the decision, she claims that he was the first to decide he wanted their son to be circumcised. She believes that her husband would have felt uncomfortable if their son would have been different than him since her husband is not circumcised. When asked about the hardest part of her decision to circumcise her son, she explained that the hardest part was knowing she was making a lifelong decision for her son that he wasn’t able to decide for himself at the time. She believes her son is still too young to fully understand the idea that he is not circumcised when many of his classmates are circumcised. She is concerned that in the future, her son will be embarrassed or ashamed of himself because she chose not to have him circumcised.

As a young adult with no children, I was curious to find out the reasoning as to why some cultures or families choose to not circumcise their children, which is why this was a great opportunity for me to interview her. During this interview, it was important for me to keep an open mind and be accepting of our different beliefs. I personally claim a different view than M.A. I believe that circumcision has become part of the cultural norm and is part of how people view the “normal body” in today’s world. If I was to have a son in the future, I would have my son circumcised. Similar to M.A., I also believe male circumcision is up to the parent to decide what is best for their child. However, I did not agree with MA’s view regarding not circumcising the child because the father doesn’t want to seem different than the baby. I believe circumcision should be based on what is best for the child only. Unlike M.A., I believe circumcision is a procedure that has many health benefits. These benefits include hygiene being easier to maintain, decreased urinary tract infections, and reduced risk of the child acquiring and spreading certain diseases later in life. M.A. believe that there are no health benefits related to circumcision. Not only can circumcision have an impact on your physical health, but it can also have an impact on your mental health. Similar to M.A., I also believe that circumcision can affect your mental health. Years ago, I remember a situation that involved my friend’s younger brother getting teased for not being circumcised. My friends’ brother would come home from school every day crying from all of the teasing and claimed that he felt isolated from the rest of his peers. To summarize, I feel that the pros of circumcision greatly outweigh the cons of circumcision. I understand how circumcision can appear cruel because it can be painful for the child. However, as a future parent, I feel circumcision is what is best for the overall physical and mental health of the child. America is continuously becoming more diverse as time goes on, and it is essential for our knowledge base to become more diverse as well.

I have always had an interest in children and childhood studies. I have grown up in a joint family system, hence I have had a very close contact with children from an early age. I generally get on well with them, be it family or children of other family friends, I can establish a good relationship with them. One reason as to why I was motivated to study this module is that I have always wanted to be able to makes a difference in the lives of children and I believe by studying this particular module I can gain the knowledge and understanding of a range of issues which are associated to childhood, children and the society. This module will enable me to research studies and theories which are associated to childhood studies and child psychology. I also have the experience of working with children in a pharmacy, hence I would like to further pursue a career in understanding how we regard children has an impact on how they are treated and other factors which hey are associated to such as being able to make decisions . such as health related or medicine related.

Block 1 introduces an approach to the study of childhood by focusing on comparing the different perspectives from childhood studies and childhood factors. Childhood studies covers the whole age range of childhood from 0 to 18. It covers all aspects of children’s lives, and looks at work from academic subject areas, including law, sociology, history, anthropology, education, health and social care, psychology and medicine.

We know that views of childhood impact on the ways in which adults treat children, as some people look at childhood as being a valuable time and a time for having fun, however, not everyone has the same point of view, others believe it is a time to prepare the child for the real world, a time in which the children can learn skills that will eb useful in the future and when they are older.

Lancy, 2008 states a mother in Liberia was asked ‘What makes a good child?’ The mother replied, ‘if you ask her to bring water, she brings water…when you ask her to plant rice, she doesn’t complain.’ This is the thought of many parents around the world, as they often take children with them to work so that they can lend them a hand, this could be in a shop or field, or even the household chores. Childhood is also seen as a ‘social construction’ which recognises ideas related to childhood changes across time and place, it also focuses on the consequences of the ideas and further the impact that it has on the children.

Child psychology is a term which is used to describe how people change as they grow up. It looks at explaining how the changes occur, whether it is due to experiences of the world or biological changes which occur over time and sometimes it may be due to both. Child psychology is often divided into physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Jean Piaget had a theory of cognitive development, he felt that cognitive development continues through predefined biological steps that are encouraged through physical interaction with the world.

Piaget believed that development happened in the individual and then followed to the social environment, however Vygotsky argued as he thought that development first happened through the child’s social interaction and then moved to the individual level. Vygotsky looked at the child as an apprentice learning through other social environment of those with more experience, whereas Piaget saw them as actively discovering the world through their individual interaction.

Another perspective on children and childhoods which will contribute to further developing my understanding is children’s rights. Children need special rights because they require extra protection in comparison to adults. They have a right to education, healthcare, protection (for example from abuse), a right to participate in decisions (in matters which are associated with them for example about medical treatment they should be having). Some rights have been assigned to children through international agreements and in national legislation and policy. They have a right to be protected from abuse, this could be physical, sexual or emotional. This

shows the vulnerability of children and their helplessness and that they do not really have the power. It pursues to increase the chance of the child having a happy childhood and also tries to help their proper development. Children rights are set out in 1989 by United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC). This policy states that children have rights to protection, provision and participation. However, participation rights have been debatable as it seems to challenge the relationships between adults and children.

In relation to learning E102, I have learned that I have some good study habits, however at the same time I have some bad study habits as well. My strengths include planning my time effectively and being well organised to ensure I do not miss any deadlines. I know I can study better at a morning time, as I am fresh, no tiredness and I am able to focus better. I choose to work in a room alone as I have no distractions and hence, I can concentrate better. Areas of improvement include to make sure I have plenty of time to prepare and get organised. To manage my time effectively as I am working and there is a set amount of time which is required in order to succeed on my studies, I will set goals and give myself deadlines so that I am able to complete a certain task in a fixed time . I think procrastination is a huge factor, because if I don’t know what to do or I don’t have the full understanding I will not know what to do or where to make the start. In such a situation I will make sure I get in touch with my personal to discuss the issue and will ask for extra help or guidance. Another factor is being attentive, and detail orientated, I think during this module I need to be more explanative and pay attention to detail and also be able to give a lot of detail when doing my assignments.

In order to address the aspects of learning which I believe I need to improve I think there are many academic resources and sources of support which can help me. First of all there is the online OU library. This includes Ebooks and Ejournals which are accessible at all times and can be helpful when preparing assignment. I am also able to use help from tutors and other students by posting on the tutor forum and group forum. There is also a help centre on the open university website from which I can ask for assistance when need be such as technical issues, it also provides help and support on help with writing and submitting assignments, study skills and completing studies. I am also able to join tutorials which are based in universities and also online tutorials, the process is to enrol onto them online in order to get help or support when struggling on a topic or when I don’t understand a subject and believe I need extra help or guidance.

Pope Francis once said, “Human trafficking is a scourge, a crime against the whole of humanity. It is time to join forces and work together to free its victims and to eradicate this crime that affects all of us, from individual families to the worldwide community.” (Wise Old Sayings, 2016)

Child trafficking has been an issue since the early 1800’s; children today are kidnapped, transported and shifted from one place to another for either work, money, military service and sexual exploitation. These innocent victims are helpless when exposed to violence or abuse. Child trafficking leads to innocent children being used for child labor, organ trade, prostitution and slavery, these examples show how the victims live in an exploitive, oppressive and despotic environment. Different forms of child abuse can be found all over the world especially in Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle-East and especially eastern parts of Europe. Poverty, social, political and economic instability, war or conflict-stricken countries tend to be main causes that could lead to innocent children being manipulated as future sex workers, child brides, factory slaves, terrorists or drug traffickers!

Human trafficking is believed to be the fastest growing industry in the world. It has a major impact in the world estimating that about 70-80% of child labor is used for sex. There are instances where parents are willing to sell their daughters in marriage for financial gain. In the rural parts of India there are more than 100,000 children that are sold by family members in the name of marriage. When it comes to the trafficking of these girls, they have no say in the matter and after their marriage they experience many types of injustice in the form of sexual and physical abuse (Duong, Y, 2018). Some people look for help from the government as a last resort, but it turns out to be unsuccessful because the government does not see this as a form of human trafficking but only looks at it as domestic problems faced by a husband and wife and that they should be resolved by the family itself. Thus, the abused don’t have any route of escape and are stuck in these situations for life. (Lahiri, T, 2012)

Child prostitution has been a problem all around the world and has been increasing rapidly over the past 10 years. There are situations where children are kidnapped from their parents, and other instances where parents or family members sell their children into this trade for financial gain. (Gupta, R.) Recent statistics show that there have been more than 2 million children exploited due to commercialization for sex, out of these it is reported that 70% of this populations have been young girls and 30% are boys. In the United States victims who are trafficked are subjected to numerous types of mistreatment which include being slaves and being forced into child prostitution. Unable to quantify the number of victims being trafficked is just one example of the difficulty and mystery behind child trafficking that authorities who are trying to curb this trade face. In order for us to improve this international dilemma of trafficking, it is essential to create awareness among the people. It is harder to catch traffickers if people do not know what to look out for in their environment to keep their children safe or in a situation where they witness a child being kidnapped.

Child labour is one of the major social issues that has been overshadowed in the minds of people, if thought of at all. It is defined as work which is physically, mentally and socially harmful to children hence denying them from the opportunity to learn and develop their skills as a human being in a safe and healthy environment. According to the International Labour organization there has been an estimated 165 million children below the age of 5 and 12 who are working in a stressful and hazardous job. In countries such as Nigeria and the Eastern parts of Africa this is considered as a normal way of life due to the severe poverty faced by these people (Osmond Chigozie, A, 2015). Child labour in Africa has grown beyond forced labour in factories and fields and instead to a harmful environment where children between 5 and 15 years of age are taught to use weapons and are used as child soldiers (Brown, G. 2011). Here children are not only harmed mentally where they are taught to kill but also beaten and harmed physically if they do not perform the tasks assigned to them. For example, in Burma children are taken away from their homes to be slaves in order to mine for blood diamonds. This what child labor looks like in today’s modern world. In order to eradicate such foul behaviour towards children, governments and world-wide organizations are working collaboratively to enforce laws which help protect children from child labor.

Therefore, to conclude we can see the trafficking industry is completely fueled by poverty, meaninglessness to the rights of the defenceless population, corrupt government and so on. Victims of trafficking are of lower income groups with very limited opportunities. One of the main components of traffickers is that they look for children in a similar kind of position of neglect and abuse. Since Human trafficking is the fastest growing business in the world making a revenue of more than $5 billion a year, the major organizations such as the United Nations (UN), International Labour Organisation (ILO) as well as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) are working to control this problem by issuing strong laws as well as policies. They should also be firmer and more stringent when issuing policies to the various heads of states. If the UN encourages trafficking protocols on the various countries to enact them through their laws this will stop exploitation of children as well as the better treatment of migrant workers. With the United Nation following the 3P principal act as policy which is know as (Prevention, Protection and Prosecutions) will be used by governments all over the world to help diminish trafficking of men, women and children.

For children to grow up to be well balanced individuals who will lead the world tomorrow we need to ensure that they receive a good education and also that they grow up in a secure, protected and loving environment. When children are taken away from this type of an environment and are instead placed in unsafe and abusive environments they are affected for life. Children who have been recued from these sometime are unable to function as normal individuals their whole lives and many of them are institutionalized for life, or continue the sad and terrifying cycle of crime, as that’s all they know. Thus, not only parents but every individual needs to be aware of the negative effects that these issues could lead to and should always be on a look out for their children’s safety. Therefore, with the help of the world-wide organizations adding pressure to the various heads of states there can be new laws implemented to help stop child trafficking around the world. This will help ensure our children a better tomorrow free of sex trafficking, slavery and not becoming terrorist or drug traffickers.