PREVENT CHILDREN FROM GOING TO DRINKING BARS (PAGE 22, SEPT 3, 2010)

PARENTS have been called upon to be vigilant to ensure that their children under 18 years of age do not go to drinking bars and other places where they may be exposed to immoral activities.
The Western Regional Director of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Mr John Hackman, who made the call, said parental duties were very crucial since parental neglect and irresponsibility were the basis of child abuse which had placed many children in difficult situations.
Mr Hackman made the call at a camp meeting organised by the Children’s Ministry Department of the Assemblies of God Church for children of the church in the southern part of the Western Region at the Ahantaman Senior High School.
About 200 children of the church attended the five-day camp meeting which was on the theme: “Seeking the double portion of the spirit for kingdom service.”
Mr Hackman said children had challenging times due to globalisation and information technology.
He stated that children were exposed to happenings in other parts of the world which were either positive or negative.
“It is, therefore, incumbent on parents or adults to ensure that children are insulated from foreign cultures and immoral influences,” he emphasised.
Clarifying some misconception about the Rights of the Child, Mr Hackman explained that, right of the child did not offer the children the right to misbehave or rebel against just principles.
Mr Hackman urged the children to understand that no right was absolute and that “rights go hand-in-hand with duties and responsibilities.”
“If a child has a right to food, he or she also has the responsibility not to waste food; if a child has a right to education, he or she also has responsibility to ensure that he goes to school regularly or take school work seriously,” he stated.
Mr Hackman said other responsibilities of the child towards the family included doing small tasks at home, such as laying the table, washing dishes, fetching water, maintaining cleanliness of the neighbourhood, among others.
He said what was irresponsible was to allow the child to do any work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it was carried out was likely to affect the health, safety, education and morals of the child.
He also advised them not to be in haste to engage in activities which were the preserve of adults.
 Mr Hackman expressed concern about some deviant behaviour of some children, especially Internet fraud, watching pornographic materials, playing truancy, disobedience, and desire for money, indiscipline, hooliganism, drug abuse, alcoholism, examination malpractice, indecent dressing and other anti-social activities that were detrimental to their future well-being.
He said children who engaged in those negative acts lost their potentials and became social misfits.