" It’s Hard to Be a Child "

 

Many people believe that the hardest stages of life are youth, carrying adult 

responsibilities, or even old age. But the truth may be far deeper than that… One of the 

.most difficult stages a human being can experience is childhood

Yes, these are the children we see smiling at everyone without exception, with hearts that

do not know how to distinguish between rich and poor, or understand social classes or 

hatred. They treat everyone with kindness, offering their sincere smiles without 

calculation, and they do not yet understand greed or lies. They feel joy simply, sadness 

deeply, and fear innocently. Their faces have always been a symbol of purity and hope, so

.much so that some even compare them to angels 

But what happens to this innocence? How do some of these children grow into 

personalities that people describe as harsh or aggressive? When do those calm, gentle 

?features disappear from their faces

The painful truth is that some children do not experience childhood as they should. Some

are deprived of it before they even understand what it means. A child who is never given 

the chance to play, to feel safe, or even to simply feel like a child. This is often not a 

coincidence, but rather the result of mistakes or selfishness by adults who bring a child 

into this world without fully understanding the responsibility of caring for and protecting

.them

When we hear the word “childhood,” we imagine laughter and play, as if it were a light 

stage free of worries. But reality is sometimes very different. To be a child can be harder 

than it seems, because a child does not have the tools to understand or deal with what is 

.happening around them

.A child depends on others for everything: safety, love, and understanding their emotions 

This dependence makes them fragile in the face of any disruption in adult behavior. They

.cannot change their reality or escape it… they simply absorb it in silence

Often, children pay the price for things they do not understand: conflicts, emotional 

outbursts, and decisions they were never part of. Yet these experiences leave a deep mark

.inside them one that may not appear immediately, but grows with them over time

Within all of this, a child carries many emotions: fear, sadness, confusion… but they do 

.not always find the words to express them. And sometimes, there is no one who listens

So these feelings turn into an inner silence, into a quiet helplessness that grows within 

.them

Then comes societal pressure, demanding that the child be stronger than they can bear

patient, perfect, and resilient while they are still trying to understand themselves and 

.the world

People say that children come with their own provision, but provision alone is not 

enough. A child needs someone who understands them, embraces them, and gives thema 

.real sense of safety not just their basic needs

There is a huge difference between a child raised in an environment filled with fear and 

one raised in an environment filled with trust. The first may grow up hesitant, anxious, 

always searching for safety. The second carries a quiet inner light that gives them 

.courage and allows them to face life without losing their kindness

In the end, childhood is not just a passing stage, but the foundation upon which 

everything else is built. Perhaps we need to rethink not the children themselves, but the 

.way we are around them

Because a child does not ask for much… only to be understood, to be protected, and to be 

.given the chance to simply be a child as they should be

🖤✒️ By ANNA ALKATI ✒️ 🖤