Do children belong to their parents or to their communities?
Are children citizens of a society, or private members of families? How we respond is important. If we say children are first and foremost citizens of society, then the rights of parents are threatened as they lose authority to raise their children as they see fit. If we say children are only members of families, then communities have no authority – or responsibility – for their well-being.
Both are true at the same time. Children are private members of families and citizens of society. The responsibility begins with parents, but it ultimately falls on all of us. Families are the primary unit of society; their rights must be guarded. However, the more we see the child as part of a community – not just the family – the more likely we are to regard conceiving and raising children as tantamount to entering a contract with the community. It’s that “social contract” that protects the child and holds families responsible for their privileged role.
