My child is not a toy
Or a blank slate to be molded
My child is not bad
Or naughty to be scolded

His sister isn’t mean
Her brother isn’t rough

They’re humans learning to live
And life can be tough

We criticise children
Without giving them their dues.
Children are among the most oppressed
Of our society – though it’s not news.

We don’t respect them
We constantly correct them
We tell them to stop, don’t talk
We make them walk
Even when their tired

Our children’s childhoods
Are endangered
And it’s definitely our fault
Somehow we’ve forgotten
We’re raising humans
And so we default,
To old age tactics of shame and blame.
To bribery and tears.
We seem to think our children won’t be scarred,
By us belittling their fears.

My children are not blank slates
Or performing monkeys doing tricks
And neither are yours
Or yours.
Or yours.
They’re humans
And raising them is politics.