Being a mother to a 12 year old boy I will never be able to understand how vulnerable a parent of a daughter feel.
Dinner table conversation with friends raised many questions in my head regarding dating and sex by the younger generation.
Though being a female myself, I do know of the restrictions and challenges faced by females.
What we hear and read about child molestation and abuse cases these days have been there for ages. Recent exposure to media and other networking systems has brought these cases of rapes and murders to our knowledge on a regular basis thus creating more fear in us.
I have faced molestation in my childhood, so have many of my clients, friends, and acquaintances. I do understand the trauma and pain one goes through.
And the worst part is this kind of behaviour usually comes from the most unexpected places and unsuspecting people. People who are supposed to love you, protect you, have done such acts.
What I realised during this conversation was parents were coming from their own understanding of the outer world. Since they couldn’t save themselves from the situations and people around them, they wanted to save their girls from the outer world.
I totally understand, they are coming from a good space but is it really helping our daughters?
Do we really have to do this or can we do something different and better?
Instead of stopping our girls from stepping out and curbing their freedom, can’t we give them tools and skills to safeguard themselves?
Why can’t we teach our daughters how to be more responsible of their emotions and their bodies?
Isn’t it better to equip them than telling them the world outside is cruel?
This also creates an awareness within me.
As a parent to a boy, what kind of values am I imparting to my own child?
What is my duty towards him and the society?
I know, being a mother of a boy I have a much bigger responsibility than the mother of a daughter. That mother has to protect only her daughter.But me, I am responsible for my boy and all those girls, my son will come across.
My job is to make my son aware and responsible for his emotions, his body, his soul and those he will come across on his journey ahead.