No child's play!

Chucky wants to play!

There was a time when little children were persona no grata. They were just running around with not much to do but to grow and take over the adult roles. Their duties were none, no structured education was planned. They were eternally grateful to the elders who provided for them, taught them skills and ethics. At an age, they entered teenage, they entered the work force and continued the cycle of life.
With the worse of economic times, with war and loss of parents, they were left to fend for themselves. They matured fast to survive.
Then came a time when they had to be prepared for adulthood. They had to be 'initiated' to be ushered. Education became a pre-requisite. Structured lessons were laid out. Some of the lessons they learnt were never used anytime except during examinations. They still needed to be 'prepared' for the world. Things that they learnt were thought to be useful at some time in their life or career. Some even found their passion and continued with the things they were exposed in school.
Then the desire to expose all them to all form of knowledge arose. It was hoped that the hidden talents would hopefully be exposed and the kids would make a killing later in life or even made it their life.
Then the pressure (no more desire) to ensure that all knowledge known to mankind is parted to growing brains. Parents felt guilty or inadequate for not providing for all these avenues. Some even felt that they had failed miserably as parents for not opening their minds in activities which invoke stimuli from the right to the left parts of the brain and anywhere in between.
If a generation ago, Benjamin Spock's child care was the second-best bestseller in US after the Bible. Now child care manuals can fill a whole library, covering obscure topics like gluten free diet, TV free childrearing etc. etc.
It is understandable if parents feel inadequate and overwhelmed of entering parenthood. It looks like they want to do well with no place for error. Path is set and everyone has to toe the line.

No More!

It is no child's play. The exercise of child rearing which started as an economic commodity to replace the ageing workforce has evolved. It has become an economically draining experience but an emotionally satisfying one, provided you do not post partum depression or become a lunatic trying to prepare them into adulthood.
What started as life as a child with no childhood to talk about has slowly evolved to a period of childhood that never seem to end. That is, if you define adulthood as taking responsibilities of your actions.
Just like how someone told his 18 year old son the other day, "Congratulations, son. You are now 18 years old. You can go to jail now if you caught by the police!"