TIME WITHOUT TENSION

 

 

Children have less responsibilities and few rights. They are considered to not make serious decisions. They smile and play almost every day and enjoy their life to the fullest. When they become old enough to go to school and study, they make new friends and meet their school and class teachers. Their school will become their second home and they will adjust to their new lives. When we were younger, we enjoyed every second playing even if our mothers scolded for us to come inside. We would sneak out of the house to taste the raindrops and run around the woods. But as we grew up, we learned the harsh rules of the world. We had to adapt like everyone else did. People depend on the future generation to build a more complex, modern and beautiful world.        

However, we must remember that past children didn’t have the freedom like we do. In the late 18^th century, children were employed at factories, mines and sometimes even worked as chimney sweepers in long hours for low pay. In 1856, the law permitted child labour past age 9 for 60 hours per week. In 1901, the permissible child labour age was raised to 12. Nowadays, child labour is forbidden but in the earlier centuries, people were desperate for a piece of bread and the winters grew harsher for them.

Children's Day is celebrated on the 20th of November in honor of children. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. In Sri Lanka, people celebrate Children’s day or as we like to say ‘Loka lama dinaya” on the 1st of October. This day is to mainly raise awareness for citizens about rights of children. This holiday is not just for getting presents and not being able to do many studies on children’s day, but it is the key to prosperity and better future of the nation and the country.

Many events are organized by the government and non-governmental institutions such as various competitions, entertaining events and games for children, who also receive gifts for participation. Newspapers, radio and television have also an opportunity to pay more attention to children and dedicate more programs and articles to them and their problems.

Many people believe that the earth’s happiness is based on a child’s smile.