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Letter of the Day | What are we teaching our children?

Published:Monday | May 30, 2022 | 12:33 AM

THE EDITOR, Madam:

As child’s month draws to a close, I am sharing a painfully instructive observation. Last week, I visited a church where I saw two little girls playing in the yard. One could be at around five years old and the other about three years old.

The older girl was running after the younger one with a digital thermometer and aiming at her as if she was firing shots and the younger one fell to the ground pretending to be dead.

Many people may not see this as anything to be perturbed about, but the educator in me asked, ‘What are we teaching our children? Why are they playing such a game?’

Ironically, many people refuse to allow anyone to take their temperature by pointing the thermometer at their forehead because they feel very uncomfortable and are even traumatised. This could be because a lot of them feel a gun is being pointed at them.

The sad truth is that so many persons are being shot and killed in this country that our children are comfortable acting this out, and this is very disturbing. This is not new, one could argue, but am I the only Jamaican who regard this incident as sad?

Am I reading too much into this incident? Am I overreacting? Should I just say that they are just two little girls having fun in the churchyard?

Why is there a voice inside of me saying, ‘This is not okay.’ Our children need to be taught how to love and respect each other; not just in words, but in deeds.

We must change the way we behave so that our children can learn that life is precious and must be protected and preserved.

WINNIE ANDERSON-BROWN

winabenator@gmail.com