Neglected children may suffer from particular social and behavioural problems throughout life.
Research shows that children who are exposed to poor family management practices are at a greater risk of developing conduct disorders and of participating in delinquent behaviour.
Also, neglected children do not necessarily perceive their upbringing to be abnormal or dysfunctional, and may model their own parenting behaviour on the behaviour of their parents.
One study estimates that approximately one-third of neglected children will maltreat their own children. This vicious cycle of unfortunate repetition of bad behaviours impacts future generations, our communities and society as a whole.
Further research findings about behavior of neglected children are:
- Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk of smoking, alcoholism and drug abuse as adults, as well as engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour.
- Those with a history of neglect are 1. 5 times more likely to use illicit drugs, especially Indian hemps, Marijuana in middle adulthood.
- A national institute of justice study indicated that being neglected as a child increased the likelihood of arrest a juvenile by 59 percent.
- Neglect also increased the likehood of adult behaviour by 28 percent and violent crime 30 percent.
- Early child maltreatment can have a negative effect on both men and women to establish and maintain healthy intimate relationship in adulthood.
The impact of the social effect on the African traditional system of children caring for their parents in old age is overwhelming.
The rate of old men and women who are homeless begging for money on our streets are increasing. If I may ask, where are their children?
Probably, there are drug addicts, prisoners, or school drop-out that cannot make a meaningful living!
Moreover, in the US, the DV lottery is essentially to recruit-labour force to replace their children who because of drug problems.
The impact of child neglect over the life cycle points to the importance of primary intervention and the ethical role that schools can play as a vehicle for child abuse prevention education to children and families.
The factors that contribute to negligence by parents include divorce, separation, poverty and multiple works.
In view of the fact that external stressors may feel more esteem in single parent families leading to neglected behaviour, the way out is for the divorced and separated couples to reunite for the sake of their children.
In addition, parents should be educated on parenting skills on what should be their responsibilities to their children.
They should also give birth to the number of children their resource can cater for and practice birth control to space their children.
Other Effects of Drugs and Alcohol
Alcohol and other drugs interfere with the messages to your brain and alter your perceptions, emotions, vision, healing and coordination.
Alcohol and drugs affect your judgement and can lead to dangerous behaviour that puts you at risk for.
Accidental injuries: More than half of runners and fatal falls are alcohol or drug-rated 45% of emergency room and alcohol-rated 80% of patients in special units such as burnt centres.
Half of all physical injuries sustained on college campuses in our country stems from alcohol use.
Sexual and Assault: When you are intoxicated, impaired judgement can stop you from noticing dangerous situations and people. Slowed thinking and reaction time makes you more vulnerable to being forced into sexual activity.
It also makes people less likely to notice when they are hurting others. Alcohol is involved in many acquaintance rapes, in either party. Being drunk is not a legal excuse for assault.
Trouble with the law
Illegal drugs, underage drinking, public consumption, even giving guests, alcohol, can get you into legal trouble.
Fights
Balloon brawls don’t just happen in moves. Not only it gets arrested, two thirds of violent criminal behaviours on college and university campuses involve alcohol.
Mental Health
Mental health problems such as depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal, and other psychosocial dysfunctions frequently are linked to substance abuse among adolescents.
Substance-abusing youth are at higher risk than nonusers for mental health problems, including depression; conduct problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide.
Marijuana use, which is prevalent among youth, has been shown to interfere with short-term memory, learning, and psychomotor skills.
Motivation and psychosexual/emotional development also may be influenced (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1992).
Delinquency
According to Wilson and Howell, 1993), Possession and use of alcohol and other drugs are illegal for all youth.
Beyond that, however, there is strong evidence of an association between alcohol and other drug use and delinquent behaviour of juveniles.
Substance abuse is associated with both violent and income-generating crimes by youth. This increases fear among community residents and the demand for juvenile and criminal justice services, thus increasing the burden on these resources.
Gangs, drug trafficking, prostitution, and growing numbers of youth homicides are among the social and criminal justice problems often linked to adolescent substance abuse.
Teacher’s roles on this in schools
We should see education as a whole, having to do directly with all disciplines. Being a teacher involves being so many things at the same time.
You become a second parent to your students. Sometimes, a psychologist or a therapist could also be a model.
The teacher has to try and help his/her students to be the best they can be and if that involves trying to teach them the morals of the society, then that’s what a good teacher does.
We must dedicate at least 5-10 minutes to the discussion and the teaching of moral values.
There must be no religion connotation, just the teaching and review of values like love, honesty, integrity, sharing, dedication, responsibility, self-esteem, truth, tolerance and so on.
It is our responsibility as teachers to lead students to success, to a good and healthy life where hatred, challenge of authority, dishonesty and disrespect are not the answers to our problems.
Some parents try to maintain 24 hours surveillance over their teens by mentoring their movement.
Later, many of them discover that such ‘helicopter parenting’ only drove their teens underground. Their son or daughter adept at hiding the very conduct the parents try to prevent or correct.
Certainly, control is not the answer, so how can you help the teens make wise moral decisions. A basic measure is to have ongoing discussions with your children and start when they are young.
The Bible says, ‘Train up your child in the way of the Lord and when the child grows up, he/she would not depart from it.
In conclusion, consider your own values, be a role model, be an exemplary character. Cite examples of people with good moral values.
Explain to them that many people engage in corrupt acts due to lack of good moral values. ‘Corruption’ as its definition states, is the misuse of public trust/resources for private gain.
If individuals uphold good moral values, they will be aware of their actions and refrain from indulging in such acts
adminate
Editors
