The Love Of Family

You’ll never earn a child’s respect
Through blackmailed bribery
You’ll never buy their devotion
Demanding that they see
You or indeed spend their time
In worshipping the ground
On which you walk; They can’t be bought
Nor will they e’er be found
Until you start to step up to
The mark; be honest too
And stop dangling a carrot for
Them to then follow you
Nor give them gifts or scare them from
Those whom you maybe hate
For children have autonomy
Their own pathways create
And only by your selfless heart
Will they then turn to you
And see your unconditional love
Be inspired by what you do
For they did not chose to be yours
They don’t elect to be
Tied up in your emotions nor
Your deep set jealousy
But they will love you to the end
They’ll love you; ask for nil
And you – well honour them for who
They are; Be constant still
And be the best that you can be
Embrace the truth and see
That you can’t buy and cannot sell
The love of family!

There are those in society nowadays that believe that children can be bought with rewards, bribes, demands – call it what you will.  There are those who subscribe to the doctrine of blame and blackmail to get their children to do their will.  There are those who coerce and believe that they can use all this to control children even starving them and taking away their basic provisions in order to stamp their authority like a brand on their own children.  The truth is children are their own person and have the right to autonomy and as they grow older they learn that others too have similar rights.  If we as adults don’t allow them to develop this and have their own voice, and respect them, then how are we ever to expect them to do likewise.  This isn’t about pampering to a child’s will but stepping up to the mark with responsibility and love.  This poem is dedicated to all those children who are forced to live the life of another and not their own, and our prayer goes out to them.  It is written from my heart to theirs.

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