Dear Editor,

There is nothing more remarkable than hearing the innocence of a child at play — laughter, imaginative expression, crying, and the visual gesture of just wanting a hug.

Their purity and innate passion to only give love must have been allocated by the divine arms of God! But yet their pain and suffering from abuse, exploitation, starvation, trafficking, and poor parenting echoes an irrefutable and irritating social chime.

The buoyancy of negativity draws attention globally. The suffering and pain endured by the little ones have nestled in the lonely corridors of public and governmental policy, focused debates, media proliferation, and parental accountability.

Must we accept a couple’s shameful excuse for abandoning their children due to the mental paralysis of opioids? Must we forsake our moral compass of intuitiveness by turning a blind eye to children acting out and immediately labelling them as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) without seeking out truths of home life or even abuse?

Do we continue the nonchalant momentum of disregard to that promiscuous 12-year-old girl/boy without the inquisition of the possibilities of sexual abuse or even trafficking? The shift and call of duty of social reformation is in order.

These talking points and social dialogue in the media, on the highest platform, is the hope in the new year! It is our job to change children’s perception of life by loving them unconditionally and providing a consistency in safety. The inspiration here is appreciating children’s wonderful expressions of joy and laughter and listening to what they have to say. There should always be liberty in child expression.

Dr Dennis Walter Smith Sr

drdennissmithchiro@gmail.com