This is a common sight I come across, of children accompanying parents to their workplace. I see it at the hospitals, offices, shops, street vendor's outlets, etc. Children for lack of anyone else available to take care of them at home, end up being with their parents at work place during school holidays, in the evenings or when a child is not able to go to school due to transient illness.
A work place contributes least to a child. In fact it introduces a child to the world of adults, their conversations, and work related experiences too early. For most pre-school children, it is too much to process this experience with much meaning or appreciation. Most parents expect them to be passive in such situations without any plan to give them something to do, that would interest them. They are bored and restless, and helpless in such situations. To occupy a few hours in an ambience which is least child friendly is intimidating to a child. Making them play in the computer or play gamin the photo was engaged in passive child labour.
In a fast urbanizing India, both parents will choose to work,leaving children in various forms of cild care. One child care facility which is non-existent is, open child care facility, where parents according to their need can can get the children to stay for short duration during the day. One facility I love to explore while going overseas is the open child care facility. They are run by volunteers, often by senior citizens to promote childhood well being when parents are occupied elsewhere. Such facility although is not a good enough substitute, it is far better than children, spending their time at the work places of their parents. If such facility can be run by churches, NGO's, etc. in a school premise, it can help children to have a comfortable and stimulating environment.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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