The Editor, Sir:

There is a good old saying: Train up a child in the way he should grow that when he is old he will not depart from it.

Is it that these valuable words are not being put to practice? What is happening to the roles that parents are suppose to play? I say and will forever say that parents need to be more professional in growing their offspring. Parents need to understand the morals of child growth. From my perspective, I think every woman or man should do a course in psychology before planning or attempting to produce a child.

I say this considering that not everyone will or can afford to do a course in psychology so I will recommend that the Government implement a programme where a psychologist is placed in every health centre to reinforce some of the basic ideas and strategies. It is obvious that society thinks growing a child is sheltering, clothing, feeding them and make sure they attend school; providing basics needs and necessity. Hell no!

Psychological effects

What happens to the psychological effects that the environment has on a child? Change is inevitable and in every cycle of change, the child is exposed to various situations. Don't you think they need their parents to guide and mentor them throughout these changes?

I wish every parent would understand how important it is for a child to get the proper upbringing that he or she is supposed to get and that also takes me to the aspect of 'barrel children' in our society. We can't allow the right things to be ignored while our men and women of tomorrow slip into the gutters.

It is a common thing for people to say that poverty is the cause of juvenile delinquency and it's the cause of all this crime and everything that goes wrong "poverty does it." Can we stop blaming poverty and think of a solution for our problems?

I am, etc.,

Veniel Morgan

Hayes P.O, Clarendon