|
Exer, that’s one of the saddest things indeed. I’m always stunned how the deeds of a very very small minority of men can have such an influence over the life of the majority of the families. But they have. As a parent you are aware that there are men who misuse children and you want to protect your children. That doesn’t always work out well for the children, who don’t grew up as freely as they should.
When I was a kid we children played outside alone since a very young age, I guess we were about four years old. Nowadays they are shepherded much longer, many parents here still accompany their kids when they are ten years or older.
Or children need to touch and embrace. Not actively forced from the adult’s side, but they will come themselves to cuddle and snuggle. And they will not only cuddle with mom and dad, but with the uncle or aunt or grandfather or grandmother, too. On the other side you know that most cases of misuse are done within the family or the near neighbourhood. So you instinctively start watching a little bit, if you want or not, at least once in your life, although you’re trusting your brother, your father, your friends…
And children are the most confident creatures you can imagine. But you have to strip that confidence from a very young age. I think, almost every child learns as soon as it can listen not to trust to strangers, to people who present them chocolade or other gifts. And they don’t understand a word. It is really really sad that they can’t grew up with their normal sense of confidence.
Refering to the woman that inspired your post – I am convinced that children are missing a lot when they never can be alone with a man. Over the years I had four male friends regularly helping me with babysitting (it was a friendly turn, not a paid job) and they were all great and treated my daughter in a way that I as a mother could never have done.
I think the majority of men is worth every faith you can put in them, but there is this small minority that lets you act overcautiously and a little bit paranoid. You are right, the world is getting crazy…
|